Please handle this volume with care. The University of Connecticut Libraries, Storrs I BOOK 598.297.C36 Wm^ 1904 c. 1 I CHAPMAN # HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF I EASTERN NORTH AM 3 T1S3 0Dm737b 0 «^^»^»»^ » » » .1^ # 22 n DOB-WHITE HANDBOOK OF BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA WITH KEYS TO THE SPECIES AND DESCRIPTIONS OF THEIR PLUMAGES, NESTS, AND EGGS THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND MIGRATIONS AND A BRIEF ACCOUNT OF THEIR HAUNTS AND HABITS WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS ON THE STUDY OF ORNITHOLOGY, HOW TO IDENTIFY BIRDS AND HOW TO COLLECT AND PRESERVE BIRDS THEIR NESTS, AND EGGS BY FRANK M. CHAPMAN ASSISTANT CURATOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF MAMMALOGY AND ORNITHOLOGY IN THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY, NEW YOR CITY; MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION, ETC, WITH FULL-PAGE PLATES IN COLORS AND BLACK AND WHITE AND UPWARD OF ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY CUTS IN THE TEXT SIXTH EDITION NEW YORK D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1904 _j2^l. Copyright, 1895, By d. appleton and company. Oiti r TO MY MOTHER WHO HAS EVER ENCOURAGED HER SON IN HIS NATURAL HISTORY STUDIES THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED PREFACE If this book had been written in the last century it might have been entitled "Ornithology made Simple, or How to Identify Birds with Ease, Certainty, and Dispatch." It may be unworthy so com- prehensive a title, nevertheless I have made an honest endeavor to write a book on birds so free from technicalities that it would be in- telligible without reference to a glossary, and I have tried to do this in a volume which could be taken afield in the pocket. I have not addressed an imaginary audience, nor have I given my prospective readers what, theoretically, I thought they ought to have, but what personal experience with students of birds has led me to believe would meet their wants. The preparation of this work has firmly convinced me that the poet would have been nearer the truth had he written " One touch of nature makes the whole world kind.'" In the succeeding pages I have attempted to express my appreciation of the assistance which natural- ist friends and associates have generously given me, but here I desire to especially thank Miss Florence A. Merriam, Dr. J. A. Allen, and Mr. Ernest E. Thompson for much valuable criticism and advice. Frank M. Chapman. American Museum op Natural History, New York City, January, 1895. CONTENTS. PAGE Introduction 1 Chapter I. — The Study of Ornithology 1 Systematic Ornithology 2 Philosophic Ornithology 3 Economic Ornithology 6 Sentiment of Ornithology 8 Chapter IL — The Study of Birds Out-of-Doors . . . 10 How to Identify Birds 10 How to Find Birds .11 When to Find Birds 12 Tables of Migration 15 The Nesting Season 10 Note-books and Journals 20 Chapter HI. — Collecting Birds, their Nests, and Eggs . 23 Collecting Birds 23 Making Birdskins 24 Sexing Birds 27 Cataloguing and Labeling 28 Care of a Collection 29 Collecting and Preserving Nests and Eggs . . . .29 Plan of the Work 32 Nomenclature adopted 32 Definition of Terms 32 The Key to Families 32 The Keys to Species . .34 Measurements 37 Range 37 Biographies 38 Illustrations 39 Color Chart 39 List of ABBRE\nATioNS 40 vii VIU CONTENTS. THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA EAST OP THE NINE- TIETH MERIDIAN 41 Key to Orders and Families II. Order Pygopodes : Diving Birds 1. Family Podicipidae : Grebes 2. Family Urinatoridae : Loons 3. Family Alcidas : Auks, Murres, and PufRns Order Longipennes : Long-winged Swimmers 4. Family Stercorariidge : Skuas and Jaegers 5. Family Laridas : Gulls and Terns 6. Rynchopidjie : Skimmers III. Order Tubinares : Tube-nosed Swimmers 7. Family Diomedeidae : Albatrosses 8. Procellariidae : Petrels, Fulmars, and Shearwaters IV. Order Steganopodes : Totipalmate Swimmers 9. Family Phaethontid*-: Tropic Birds. 10. Family Sulidae : Gannets . 11. Family Anhingidae : Darters 12. Family PhalacrocoracidaB : Cormorants 13. Family Pelecanidas : Pelicans . 14. Family Fregatidc'B : Man-o'-War Birds 41 56 56 58 60 65 65 67 85 86 86 86 91 91 92 93 94 95 97 V. Order Anseres : Lamellirostral Swimmers . . 97 15. Family Anatidas : Ducks, Geese, and Swans . . 97 VI. Order Odontogloss^ : Lamellirostral Grallatores . 125 16. Family Phcenicopteridae : Flamingoes . . . 125 VII. Order Herodiones : Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc. . . 125 17. Family Plataleidae : Spoonbills 125 18. Family Ibididae : Ibises 126 19. Family Ciconiidae : Storks and Wood Ibises . . 127 20. Family Ardeidae : Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns . 128 VIII. Order Paludicol^ : Cranes, Rails, etc. . . . 137 21. Family Gruida? : Cranes 137 22. Family Aramidae : Courlans 138 23. Family Rallid.-e : Rails, Gallinules, and Coots . . 139 IX. Order Limicol^: Shore Birds 147 24. Family Phalaropodidae : Phalaropes .... 147 25. Family Recurvirostrida? : Stilts and Avocets . . 149 26. Family Scolopacidae : Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. . . 150 CONTENTS. IX 27. Family Charadriiclae : Plovers . 28. Family Aphrizidae : Turnstones, etc. . 29. Family Haeraatopodidae : Oyster-catchers X. Order Galling : Gallinaceous Birds . 30. Family Tetraonidii? : Grouse, Bob-whites, 31. Family Phasianida? : Pheasants, etc. . etc. XI. Order Columb^ : Pigeons and Doves . 32. Family Colunibidje : Pigeons and Doves XII. Order Raptores: Birds of Prey . 33. Family Cathartidae : American Vultures 34. Family Falconida3 : Falcons, Hawks, Eagles, etc. 35. Family StrigidaB : Barn Owls . . 36. Family Bubonid® : Horned Owls, Hoot Owls XIII. Order Psittaci : Parrots, Macaws, Paroquets, etc. 37. Family Psittacidae : Parrots and Paroquets XIV. Order Coccyges : Cuckoos, Kingfishers, etc. 38. Family Cuculidae : Cuckoos 39. Family Alcedinidae : Kingfishers XV. Order Pici : Woodpeckers, Wrynecks, etc. . 40. Family Picidae : Woodpeckers . XVI. Order Macrochires : Goatsuckers, Hummingbirds Swifts, etc 41. Family Capriraulgidae : Nighthawks, Whip wills, etc 42. Family Micropodidae : Swifts . 43. Familv Trochilidae : Hummingbirds . XVII. Order Passeres : Perching Birds . 44. Family Tyrannidae : Flycatchers 45. Family Alaudidae : Larks . ... 46. Family Corvidag : Crows and Jays 47. Family Sturnidae : Starlings 48. Family Icteridae : Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. 49. Family Fringillidae: Finches, Sparrows, etc. 50. Family Tanagridae : Tanagers . 51. Family HirundinidaB: Swallows . 52. Family Ampelidae : Waxwings . 53. Family Laniida? : Shrikes .... 54. Family Vireonidae : Vireos .... 55. Familv Mniotiltidap: Wood Warblers PAGE . 171 . 176 . 177 . 178 . 178 . 185 . 187 . 187 . 191 . 191 . 193 . 213 . 213 222 . 222 . 224 . 224 . 226 . 227 . 227 poor- 226 . 236 . 239 . 240 . 242 . 242 . 252 . 253 . 259 . 200 . 271 . 316 . 318 . 323 . 325 . 327 . 333 X CONTENTS. PAGE 56. Family Motacillidae : Wagtails and Pipits . . 375 57. Family Troglodytidae : Thrashers, Wrens, etc. . . 376 58. Family Certhiidae : Creepers 385 59. Family Paridae : Nuthatches and Titmice. . . 386 60. Family Sylviidfe : Kinglets and Gnatcatchers . . 391 61. Family Turdidae : Thrushes, Bluebirds, etc. . . 394 Appendix : A Field Key to our Commoner Eastern Land Birds . 404 List of Principal Works referred to 411 Index 415 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FULI^PAGE PLATES. TO FACE PAGE Bob- WHITE Frontisjiiece. Color Chart 39 Pied-billed Grebe and Young 57 Heads of Ducks 97 Little Blue Herons 135 Clapper Rail 140 Woodcock and Young 153 Spotted Sandpiper and Young 169 Ruffed Grouse and Young 181 Sparrow Hawk and Young . . . . ^ . . . . 211 Hairy Woodpecker; Yellow-bellied Sapsuckee . . . 229 Whip-poor-will 237 Least Flycatcher ; Phcebe 245 Bobolink 262 Meadowlark 265 White-throated Sparrow; White-crowned Sparrow . . 300 Song Sparrow; Swamp Sparroay 306 Yellow-throated Vireo ; Warbling Vireo .... 330 Louisiana Water-Thrush 368 Wood Thrush; Wilson's Thrush 395 FIGURES IN THE TEXT. FIGURE PAGE 1. A completed birclskin 28 2. Topography of a bird 33 3. (a) Spotted, (b) streaked, (c) barred, (d) margined feathers . 34 4. Rule showing inches and tenths 37 5. Feet of (a) Pied-billed Grebe, (b) Loon, (c) Puffin ... 41 6. (a) Bill of Parasitic Jaeger ; (b) bill and foot of Laughing Gull 41 7. Bill of Common Tern 42 8. Bill of Skimmer , ...» 42 xi xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FIGURE PAGE 9. (a) Bill and foot of Black-footed Albatross ; (b) bill and foot of Fulmar 42 10. Foot of Cormorant 43 11. Bill of Yellow-billed Tropic Bird 43 12. Bill of Gannet 43 13. Bill of Anhinga . 43 14. Bill of Cormorant 43 15. Bill of Man-o'-War Bird 43 16. Bill of Merganser 44 17. (a) Bill and foot of Mallard ; (b) foot of Canvasback . . 44 18. Bill of Flamingo 45 19. Bill and toe-nail of Little Green Heron 45 20. Bill of White Ibis 45 21. Bill of Roseate Spoonbill 45 22. (a) Bill and foot of Clapper Rail : bills of (b) Yellow Rail, (c) Sora, (d) Florida Gallinule ; (e) bill and foot of Coot . 46 23. Bill of Sandhill Crane 46 24. Bill of Limpkin 46 25. Bills of (a) Dowitcher, (b) Knot, (c) Black-bellied Plover, (d) Semipalmated Plover 47 26. Feet of (a) Red Phalarope, (b) Knot, (c) Dowitcher, (d) Black- bellied Plover, (e) Semipalmated Plover . . . .47 27. Bill of Ruffed Grouse 48 28. Bill of Wild Pigeon 48 29. Feet of (a) Barred Owl, (b) Red-shouldered Hawk ... 48 30. Head of Barn Owl 48 31. Head of Barred Owl 48 32. Head of Turkey Vulture 49 33. Head of Red-shouldered Hawk 49 34. Bill and foot of Carolina Paroquet 49 35. Bill and foot of Belted Kingfisher 49 36. Bill and foot of Yellow-billed Cuckoo 49 37. (a) Bill and foot of Hairy Woodpecker, (6) foot of Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker 50 38. Bill and foot of Nighthawk 50 39. Bill and tail-feather of Chimney Swift . . . . .50 40. Bill of Hummingbird 50 41. Foot of Robin 51 42. Bill and wing of Phoebe 51 43. Bill and hind-toe of Horned Lark 51 44. (a) Bill and wing of Blue Jay, (b) bill of Crow . . . 51 45. Bill and wing of Starling 52 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. xiii FIGURE PAGE 46. (a) Bill and wing of Baltimore Oriole ; bills of (b) Meadow- lark, (c) Purple Grackle 52 47. Bills of (a) Cardinal, (b) Pine Grosbeak, (r) Purple Finch, (d) Red Crossbill, (e) Seaside Finch, (/) Goldfinch 48. Bill of Scarlet Tanager . 49. Bill and foot of Clitf Swallow 53 52 53 53 53 53 53 50. Head of Cedar Waxwing . 51. Bill of Loggerhead Shrike 52. Bill of Blue-headed Vireo 53. (a) Bill of Tennessee Warbler ; (b) bill, wing, and hind-toe of Pine Warbler; bills of (c) Redstart, (d) Water-Thrush; (e) Chat 54. Bill and hind-toe of American Pipit 54 55. (a) Bill of Brown Thrasher, {b) bill and wing of Catbird ; bills of (c) Carolina Wren, ((i) House Wren . . . .54 56. Bill and tail of Brown Creeper 54 57. (a) Bill of White-breasted Nuthatch, {b) bill and wing of Chickadee 55 58. (a) Bill and wing of Golden-crowned Kinglet, (b) bill of Blue Gray Gnatcatcher 55 59. (a) Bill of Robin, (b) bill and wing of Bluebird ... 55 60. First primaries of (a) American Herring Gull, (b) Ring-billed Gull, (c) Laughing Gull, (d) Franklin's Gull, (e) Bona- parte's Gull 69 6L First primaries of (a) Caspian Tern, (b) Royal Tern, (c) Com- mon Tern, (d) Arctic Tern, (e) Royal Tern . . . .78 62. Head of Least Sandpiper 160 63. Head of Red-backed Sandpiper 161 64. Wing of Solitary Sandpiper 166 65. Head of Semipalmated Plover 174 66. Head of Wilson's Plover 176 67. Tail of Sharp-shinned Hawk 198 68. Tail of Cooper's Hawk 199 69. Primaries of Red-shouldered Hawk 202 70. Primaries of Broad-winged Hawk 204 71. Foot of Golden Eagle 206 72. Foot of Bald Eagle 207 73. Tail-feathers of Yellow-billed Cuckoo 225 74. Tail-feathers of Black-billed Cuckoo 226 75. Head of Crested Flycatcher 245 76. Head of Prairie Horned Lark 253 77. Head of Cowbird 262 xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. FIGURE PAGE 78. Head of Orchard Oriole 267 79. Head of Purple Finch 281 80. Head of Redpoll 285 81; Hind-toe of Lapland Longspur . . . . . . 289 82. Tail-feathers of Vesper Sparrow 290 83. Tail of Grasshopper Sparrow 293 84. Head of Seaside Sparrow . 297 85. Head of Lark Sparrow 299 86. Head of Chipping Sparrow 302 87. Head of Fox Sparrow • . 309 88. Head of Dickcissel 315 89. Barn, Cliff, Tree, and Bank Swallows 318 90. Section of primary of Rough-winged Swallow . . . 323 91. Head of Red-eyed Vireo 328 92. Wing of Warbling Vireo 329 93. Head of Black and White Warbler 351 94. Head of Worm-eating Warbler 351 95. Head of Blue-winged Warbler 351 96. Head of Golden-winged Warbler 351 97. Head of Parula Warbler 351 98. Head of Myrtle Warbler 351 99. Head of Magnolia Warbler 351 100. Head of Chestnut-sided Warbler 351 101. Black-throated Blue Warbler 354 102. Head of Black-poll Warbler 366 103. Head of Prairie Warbler . . 366 104. Head of Oven-bird 366 105. Head of Kentucky Warbler 366 106. Head of Maryland Yellow-throat 366 107. Head of Wilson's Warbler 366 108. Head of Hooded Warbler 366 109. Head of Canadian Warbler 366 110. Head of Yellow-breasted Chat 372 111. Head of Short-billed Marsh Wren 383 112. Head of Long-billed Marsh Wren ...... 384 113. Head of Red-breasted Nuthatch 388 114. Head of Tufted Titmouse 389 115. Head of Golden-crowned Kinglet 392 A HANDBOOK OF THE BIRDS OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA, mTRODUCTIOlS". CHAPTER I. THE STUDY OF ORNITHOLOGY. Birds, because of their beauty, the charm of their songs, and the ease with which they may be observed, are doubtless the forms of animal life which first attract the young naturalist's attention. His interest in them gives evidence of an inborn love of Nature. Too often this priceless gift is lost simply through lack of encouragement and instruction. Properly developed it should prove a never-failing source of pleasure and inspiration, if indeed its influence does not become the most potent factor in our lives. Let us hope that the day is not distant when the importance of in- troducing natural-history studies into our schools will be generally recognized. The young student of Nature will then be helped over the repelling technicalities which render so difficult the first steps to a knowledge of his chosen subject. Without a guide he now either loses his way completely or travels under disadvantages which handi- cap him for the whole journey. The uninstructed beginner in ornithology usually expends his en- ergies in forming a collection, and he knows no better way of pursuing his study of birds than to kill and stuff them ! Collecting specimens is a step in the scientific study of birds, but ornithology would have small claim to our consideration if its possibilities ended here. Prop- erly considered, it includes what may be termed the science of orni- thology and the sentiment of ornithology. As a science it treats of birds as the exponents of natural laws and seeks to determine their place in the scale of life. In the sentiment of ornithology Nature ap- peals to us through the most interesting and beautiful of her animate forms. 2 1 2 SYSTEMATIC ORXITHOLOGY. The Science of Ornithology. — The science of ornithology may be divided into three branches — systematic, philosophic, and economic. The system atist aims to classify birds according to what are appar- ently their true relationships. He is the ornithological storekeeper, and having taken an account of stock it is his duty to keep the books of the firm in order. The philosophic ornithologist accepts as a fact the statement of affairs given him by his fellow-worker the systemat- ist, and tries to explain the wherefore and why. He is a seeker of causes. The economist is of a more practical turn of mind. He is impressed by the incalculable influence which birds exert over our agricultural interests, and the necessity for learning with exactness -whether this influence is for good or evil. But let us describe these three departments of scientific ornithology more fully. Systematic Ornithology. — The first step in the scientific study of any group of animals is to name and classify them. Orders, families, genera, species, and subspecies are to be described and arranged in what appears to be the most natural manner. Thus all the Perching Birds, for example, are placed in the order Passeres, and this order is divided into numerous families— for instance, the Thrushes or family Turdidm. But how are we to know which are Perching Birds and which of the Perching Birds are Thrushes ? The systematist answers, by studying a bird's structure. Generally speaking, orders and fami- lies are based on skeletal, muscular, and visceral characters which may be termed internal characters. Genera are based on the form of bill, feet, wings, and tail, or on external characters, while species and sub- species are based mainly on color and size. Thus all the members of a family or order agree more or less in their principal internal charac- ters : those of a genus agree in external characters, and the individ- uals of a species or subspecies resemble one another in color and size. The object of classificaf ion is to aid us in understanding not alone the relationships of one bird to another bird, or of one family or order of birds to another family or order, or even of living to extinct birds, but also to assist us in explaining the relationships of all the classes of the animal and vegetable kingdoms — mammals, birds, rep- tiles, fishes — and thus down the scale to the lowest forms of life. This systematic study of the relationships of birds has taught us that they have been evolved from reptilian ancestors. There is much evidence in support of this fact, but the most conclusive is furnished by the discovery in the lithographic slate of Solenhofen. Bavaria, of several specimens of a remarkable fossil, a reptilelike bird, which has been named ArchcBopteryx lithographica. It is the earliest known direct progenitor of the great class Aves. PHILOSOPHIC ORNITHOLOGY. 3 The importance of systematic classification is also shown in the ne- cessity of naming objects before we can study them to advantage. As the alphabet is the foundation of a written language, so this great series of scientific names, which appears so formidable to the student, is the groundwork for all ornithological research. Philosophic Ornithology.— Raving learned the alphabet of orni- thology, we may pass from the systematic to the philosophic study of birds ; from the study of dead birds to that of living ones. A study of specimens shows their relationships through structure, but a study of the living bird in its haunts may tell us the cause of structure. In classifying birds we have taken note of their form and coloration ; our object now is to determine how these characters were acquired. As Prof. E. S. Morse has said, "There is no group of animals which exceeds birds in varied and suggestive material for the evolu- tionist." Compare a Hummingbird with an Ostrich, a Swallow with a Penguin, and the enormous variation in the structure and habits of birds is brought very forcibly to our minds. When we remember that these widely divergent types descended from a reptilian ancestor, we are impressed anew with the truth of Prof. Morse's remark. A brief review of the more important branches of philosophic ornithology will show how rich a field is open to the student of birds. They are : (1) The origin of birds and their place in Nature ; * (2) their distribution in time and space, and the influences which determine their present ranges ; f (3) the migration of birds, its origin, object, ex- tent, and manner ; X (4) the nesting of birds, including a study of the significance of sexual differences in form, color, and voice,, the location and construction of the nest, the number and color of the eggs, together with the habits of birds during the entire nesting season ; (5) the effect * See Newton's Dictionary of Birds (London : Adam and Charles Black, 1893) ,• articles, " Anatomy of Birds " and '" Fossil Birds " ; Coues's Key to N. A. Birds. + Read The Geographical Distribution of North American Mammals, by J. A. Allen, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist.. Iv. 1892, pp. 199-244 ; four maps. The Geo- graphical Origin and Distribution of North American Birds, considered in Rela- tion to Faunal Areas of North America, by J. A. Allen, The Auk, x, 1893, pp. 97-150 : two maps. The Geographic Distribution of Life in North America with Special Reference to the Mammalia, by C. Hart Merriam, M. D., Proc. of the Biological Soc. of Washington, vii, 1892. pp. 1-64 ; one map. Laws of Tempera- ture Control, by Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Nat. Geog. Mag., vi, 1894, pp. 229-238 ; three maps. i On this subject read articles by the following authors : J. A. Allen, Scrib- ner's Magazine, xxii, 1881, pp. 932-938 : Bull. Nuttall Orn. Club, v, 1880, pp. 151- 154 ; Scott, ibid., vi, 1881. pp. 97-100 ; Brewster. Memoirs Nuttall Orn. Club (Cam- bridge, Mass.). No. 1, pp. 22: Cooke and Merriam. Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley (Washington. 1888) : Chapman, Auk, v, 1888, pp. 37-39 ; xi, 1894, pp. 12-17 ; Loomis, Auk, ix. 1892, pp. 28-39 ; xi, 1894, pp. 26-39, 94-117 ; Stone, Birds of E. Penn. and N. J., Bird Migration, pp. 15-28. 4 GEOGRAPHICAL RACES. of climate upon the color and size of birds;* (6) the relation of a bird's color to its haunts and habits.f Besides these general subjects which enter into our study of the life-history of every bird, we have the special instances of intelligent adaptation to changed conditions of life, and, most interesting of all, the relation between structure and habits, or the 'part played by a bird's habits in determining the form of its bill, feet, wings, and tail. Thus the Crook-billed Plover of New Zealand turns over or probes under stones and shells in search of food, not because its crooked bill makes an excellent lever or probe, but it has acquired a crooked bill through this habit. Again, the Gallinules of certain islands in southern seas are flightless, not because their wings are too small to support them, but because after having flown to these islands they had no further use for wings, which in time, through dis- use, became so small th.at the birds have lost the power of flight. In other words, it is not because their wings are small that they do not fly, but because they do not fly their wings are small. But to enlarge upon these problems which confront the philo- sophic ornithologist would require a volume. It is important, how- ever, that the student should have in the beginning at least a general idea of the effect of climate on the size and color of birds and the migration of birds. The first is well illustrated by our Bob-white or Quail. In New England, at the northern limit of its range, it is a fine, large bird with a light-brown back and a white breast narrowly barred with black. As we proceed southward it becomes smaller, the brown is of a deeper shade, the black bars of greater extent. Finally, when we have reached the humid region of southern Florida, the minimum in size is attained, the back is dark, rich chestnut barred with black, and the breast is almost wholly black. No one who compared this small, dark Florida Quail with the large, pale Quail of New England would consider them the same species. But on examining a series of Quails from all the Atlantic States one sees how gradually this change in color and decrease in size occurs, and that nowhere would it be possible to draw a line separating the two extremes. They are species in process of formation still connected by a chain of natural links. Ornithology presents many similar cases. They illustrate two laws in the evolution of animals — decrease in size southward and greater * Read Part III of Dr. J. A. Allen's Mammals and Winter Birds of East Florida, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., vol. ii, No. 3. Cambridge, 1871. •t- Consult Poulton's Colors of Animals (D. Appleton &: Co., 1890) ; Bed- dard's Animal Coloration (Maemillan & Co.) ; Keeler's Evolution of the Colors of North American Land-birds (Occasional Papers of California Academy of Sciences, iii, 1893) ; also reviews of last two works in The Auk, x, 1893, pp. 189- 199, 373-380. MIGRATION OF BIRDS. 5 intent^ity of color in regions of p:reatest rainfall. They are thus evi- dences of an evolution so recent that we can assign its cause. In nomenclature these partly formed species are termed subspecies or races. Under the trinomial system they are distinguished by a third name : thus Colinus virginianus floridanus is a subspecies or race of Colinus virginianus. But if through any change in the earth's sur- face the regions occupied by the large, light Quail and the small, dark one should be separated, the intermediates would disappear and in- stead of a race or subspecies we would have a full species — Colinus floridanus. The Migration of Birds. — Certain insects, fishes, and mammals migrate, but no animals compare with birds in the extent of their migrations. Some birds nest within the Arctic Circle and winter in the southern parts of the southern hemisphere, performing this jour- ney of thousands of miles year after year and returning to their sum- mer or winter haunts with marvelous certainty and regularity. Not only is the migration of birds an interesting subject in itself, but the almost constant changes it causes in the bird-life of the same region gives an interest to the study of ornithology which is ever re- newed with the changing seasons. Indeed, to the lover of Nature birds are a living calendar. " What was that sound that came on the softened air? It was the warble of the Bluebird from the scraggy orchard yonder. When this is heard, then has spring arrived." A discussion of the origin of bird migration will be found in the books and papers on this subject to which reference has been given. Here it is possible only to outline its principal features as they exist to-day. Generally speaking, birds migrate at the approach of winter, in search of food. The reason why they leave a land of plenty in the tropics and follow the footsteps of retreating winter to nest in the comparatively barren north is as yet not satisfactorily explained. As a rule, the extent of a bird's migration depends upon the nature of its food. Insect-eating birds are forced to extend their migrations much farther than the seed-eaters, many of which are permanent residents at their place of birth. The land-birds of the Western States winter in Mexico. A few cross the Isthmus of Tehuantepec into Central America, but practically no species cross the Isthmus of Panama. Our Eastern birds have a longer and more perilous journey to perform. They leave the mainland by way of Florida, and some species find congenial winter haunts in the West Indies or Central America, while others go as far south as the Argentine Republic. Birds of strong flight, like Swallows, can easily escape from bird- killing Hawks, and so migrate boldly by day. But the shy, retiring inhabitants of woods and thickets await the coming of darkness, and Q ECONOMIC ORNITHOLOGY. then, mounting high in the air, pursue their journey under cover of the night. Birds direct their flight by coast lines and river valleys which are easily distinguishable in clear weather. On favorable nights these natural highways of migration are thronged by a continuous stream of aerial voyagers passing from dusk until dawn. Looking through a telescope at the moon, one may see numbers of birds cross its glowing surface. From such observations it is coni- puted that migrating birds fly at a height of from one to three miles. The eyesight of birds is so far superior to ours that we do not realize its value to them while migrating. The height at which they liy gives them command of a wide range of country, and on clear nights they can undoubtedly distinguish its prominent features with ease. But when fogs or clouds obscure these landmarks, they lose their way. It is then that lighthouses prove beacons luring them to destruction. The Bartholdi Statue, at the mouth of the Hudson River, is directly in the path of the great streams of migrants which flow up and down this natural highway of migration, and for this reason is particularly destructive to birds which travel at night. On one occasion after a storm no less than fourteen hundred birds were picked up at its base, having been killed by striking the statue or pedestal upon which it rests. But while sight is of the first importance to the older and more experienced birds who know the way, young birds, who are making the journey for the first time, doubtless rely on their hearing to guide them. Birds' ears are exceedingly acute. They readily detect sounds which to us would be inaudible. Almost invariably they respond to an imitation of their notes, and, when under way, frequently chirp and call. When we consider their power of hearing and their abundance in routes of migration, it seems probable that at no time during the night is a bird beyond the hearing of his fellow-travelers. The line of flight once established, therefore, by the older birds, who leave first, it becomes a comparatively easy matter for the younger birds to join the throng. Eco7iomic OrnithoIogT/.— This branch of the study of ornithology treats of the relationships of bird to man from the standpoint of dollars and cents. Civilized man is Nature's worst enemy. He is a disturbing element whose presence is a constant menace to the balance of life. It is of the utmost importance, therefore, that we should acquaint ourselves with the conditions which make a true equilibrium and endeavor to sustain them when it proves to our advantage to do so. The disastrous results which have followed man's introduction of the English or House Sparrow in America, the mongoose in the West ECONOMIC ORNITHOLOGY. 7 Indies, and the rabbit in Australia, clearly show that our attempts to improve upon Nature must be directed, not by haphazard methods, but by knowledge gained through a careful study of Nature's laws. Few persons realize the value of birds to man. They are the natural check upon the increase of insect life. Consider the incal- culable number of insects destroyed by the birds which pass the greater part of each day hunting through our lawns, orchards, fields, and woods for the pests that destroy vegetation. Of almost equal im- portance are the birds of prey whose food consists largely of the small rodents which are among the farmer's worst enemies. Indeed, it is not too much to say that without birds the earth would not long be habitable. As yet we are on the threshold of an exact knowledge of the value of birds to man ; but let us cite one easily demonstrable case where ignorance of birds' habits resulted in direct pecuniary loss. Quoting from the report for 1886 of Dr. C. Hart Merriam, Ornithologist and Mammalogist of the United States Department of Agriculture: "On the 23d of June, 1885, the Legislature of Pennsylvania passed an act known as the ' scalp act,' ostensibly ' for the benefit of agriculture,' which provides a bounty of fifty cents each on hawks, owls, weasels, and minks killed within the limits of the State, and a fee of twenty cents to the notary or justice taking the affidavit. " By virtue of this act about $90,000 has been paid in bounties during the year and a half that has elapsed since the law went into effect. This represents the destruction of at least 128,571 of the above-mentioned animals, most of which were hawks and owls. '* Granting thai 5,000 chickens are killed annually in Pennsylvania by hawks and owls, and that they are worth twenty-five cents each (a liberal estimate in view of the fact that a large projiortion of them are killed when very young), the total loss would be 1,250, and the poultry killed in a year and a half would be worth $1,875. Hence it appears that during the past eighteen months the State of Pennsylvania has 't>xpended $90,000 to save its farmers a loss of $1,875. But this esti- mate by no means represents the actual loss to the farmer and the tax- payer of the State. It is within bounds to say that in the course of a year every hawk and owl destroys at least a thousand mice or their equivalent in insects, and that each mouse or its equivalent so de- stroyed would cause the farmer a loss of two cents per annum. There- fore, omitting all reference to the enormous increase in the numbers of these noxious animals when Nature's means of holding them in check has been removed, the lowest possible estimate of the v^lue to the farmer of each hawk, owl, and weasel would be $20 a year, or $30 in a year and a half. 8 SENTIMENT OF ORNITHOLOGY. " Hence, in addition to the $90,000 actually expended by the State in destroying 128,571 of its benefactors, it has incurred a loss to its agricultural interests of at least |3,857,130, or a total loss of |3,947,130 in a year and a half, which is at the rate of 2,631,420 per annum. In other words, the State has thrown away $2,105 for every dollar saved ! And even this does not represent fairly the full loss, for the slaughter of such a vast number of predaceous birds 'and mammals is almost certain to be followed by a correspondingly enormous increase in the numbers of mice and insects formerly held in check by them, and it will take many years to restore the balance thus blindly destroyed through ignorance of the economic relations of our common birds and mammals." To their credit be it said, the legislators of Pennsylvania were not slow to recognize the error which a lack of proper information had caused them to make. A State ornithologist was appointed, and through his efforts this ruinous and absurd law was repealed. In 1893 the Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy of the Department of Agriculture issued a report upon the food of the Hawks and Owls of the United States based upon the examination of the contents of 2,690 stomachs. It proves conclusively the value of most of these misjudged birds to the agriculturist. It is need- less to draw a comparison between legislation based upon information derived from such reports and that based solely on ignorant preju- dices. The Sentiment of Otmithology.—We may accept as true Prof. Morse's estimate of the value of birds to the scientist; we need not question their importance in the economics of Nature, but we are still far from recognizing the possibilities of their influence upon our lives. An inherent love of birds is an undeniable psychological fact which finds its most frequent expression in the general fondness for cage- birds. If we can learn to regard the birds of the woods and fields with all the affection we lavish on our poor captives in their gilded homes, what an inexhaustible store of enjoyment is ours ! It is not alone the beauty, power of song, or intelligence of birds which attract us, it is their human attributes. Man exhibits hardly a trait which he will not find reflected in the life of a bird. . Love, hate; courage, fear; anger, pleasure; vanity, modesty; virtue, vice; constancy, fickleness ; generosity, selfishness ; wit, curiosity, memory, reason — we may find them all exhibited in the lives of birds. Birds have thus become symbolic of certain human characteristics, and the more common species are so interwoven in our art jind literature that by name at least they are known to all of us. Shakespeare makes over six hundred references to birds or bird-life. If we should rob SENTIMENT OF ORNITHOLOGY. 9 Wordsworth's verses of their birds, how sadly mutilated what re- mained would be ! But why leave a knowledge of birds to poets and naturalists ? Go yourself to the field and learn that birds do not exist solely in books, but are concrete, sentient beings, whose acquaintance may bring you more unalloyed happiness than the wealth of the Indies. John Bur- roughs understands this when he writes of the study of birds : " There is a fascination about it quite overpowering. It fits so well with other things — with fishing, hunting, farming, walking, camping out — with all that takes one to the fields and woods. One may go a blackberry- ing and make some rare discovery ; or while driving his cow to pas- ture, hear a new song, or make a new observation. Secrets lurk on all sides. There is news in every bush. What no man ever saw before may the next moment be revealed to you. What a new interest the woods have ! How you long to explore every nook and corner of them ! " Human friends may pass beyond our ken, but our list of acquaint- ances in the bird world increases to the end and shows no vacancies. The marsh the Blackbirds loved may become the site of a factory, but no event on the calendar is more certain than that in due time and place we shall hear the tinkling chorus of the epauleted minstrels rising and falling on the crisp morning air. " . . . . Time may come when never more The wilderness shall hear the lion roar ; But, long as cock shall crow from household perch To rouse the dawn, soft gales shall speed thy wing, And thy erratic voice be faithful to the spring ! " The woods of our youth may disappear, but the Thrushes will always sing for us, and their voices, endeared by cherished associa- tions, arouse echoes of a hundred songs and awaken memories before which the years will vanish. CHAPTER II. THE STUDY OF BIRDS OUT-OF-DOORS. How to Identify Birds. — Whether your object be to study birds as a scientist or simply as a lover of Nature, the first step is the same — you must learn to know them. This problem of identification has been given up in despair by many would-be ornithologists. We can neither pick, press, net, nor impale birds; and here the botanist and the entomologist have a distinct advantage. Even if we have the desire to resort to a gun its use is not always possible. But with patience and practice the identification of birds is a comparatively easy matter, and m the end you will name them with surprising ease and certainty. There is generally more character in the flight of a bird than there is in the gait of a man. Both are frequently inde- scribable but perfectly diagnostic, and you learn to recognize bird friends as you do human ones — by experience. If you confine your studies to one locality, probably not more than one third of the species described in this volume will come within the field of your observation. To aid you in learning which species should be included in this third, the paragraphs on Range are followed by a statement of the bird's standing at Washington, D. C, Sing Sing, N. Y., and Cambridge, Mass., while the water-birds of Long Island are treated specially. Take the list of birds from the point nearest your home as an index of those you may expect to find. This may be abridged for a given season by considering the times of the year at which a bird is present.* * It is sometimes possible to secure a list of birds of your own vicinity. These " local lists " are generally published iu scientific journals, but one may fre- quently secure a copy of the author's edition. On this subject correspond with S. N. Rhoads, 121 S. Third Street, Philadelphia. Among tlie local lists of east, ern birds which were issued as separate publications and are now for sale are— 1. A Catalogue of the Birds of the Virginias, by Wm. C. Rives. M. A., M. D. Proc. Newport [R. I.] Nat. Hist. Soc, Document VII, 1890, 8vo, pp. 100, one map, 305 species. 2. The Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania and New Jersey, with Introductory 1(1 HOW TO FIND BIRDS. 11 After this slight preparation you may take to the field with a much clearer understanding of the situation. Two quite different ways of identifying birds are open to you. Eitlier you may shoot them, or study them through a field- or opera-glass. A " bird in the hand " is a definite object whose structure and color can be studied to such ad- vantage that in most cases you will afterward recognize it at sight. Alter learning the names of its parts, its identity is simply a question of keys and descriptions. If you would '• name the birds without a gun," by all means first visit a museum, and, with text-book in hand, study those species which you have previously found are to be looked for near your home. This preliminary introduction will serve to ripen your acquaintance in the field. A good field- or opera-glass is absolutely indispensable. A strong opera-glass with a large eye-piece is most useful in the woods, while a field-glass is more serviceable in observing water-birds. Study your bird as closely as circumstances will permit, and write on the spot a comparative description of its size, the shape of its bill, tail, etc., and a detailed description of its colors. In describing form take a Robin, Chipping Sparrow, or any bird you know, which best serves the pur- pose, as a basis for comparison. A bird's bill is generally its most diagnostic external character. A sketch of it in your note-book will frequently give you a good clew to its owner's family. It is of the utmost importance that this description should be written in the field. Not only do our memories sometimes deceive us, but we really see nothing with exactness until we attempt to describe it. Haunts, ac- tions, and notes should also be carefully recorded. This account is your "bird in the hand," and while you can not hope to identify it as easily as you could a specimen, you will rarely fail to learn its name, and experience will render each attempt less difficult than the pre- ceding. How to Find Birds. — The best times of the day in which to look for birds are early morning and late afternoon. After a night of fasting and resting, birds are active and hungry. When their appe- tites are satisfied they rest quietly until afternoon, hunger again send- ing them forth in search of food. Chapters on Geographical Distribution and Migration, prepared under the Direc- tion of the Delaware Valley Ornithological Club, by Witmer Stone, Conservator Ornithological Section Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 8vo, pp. 185, two diagrams, two maps, 352 species. Price. $1. 8. An Annotated List of the Birds known to occur within Fifty Miles of New York City, by Frank M. Chapman. Published by the American Museum of Natu- ral History, New York city, as a guide to its collection of local birds. Bvo. pp. 100, 86 cuts, 4 full-page plates, 848 species. For sale at the Museum. Price, 15 cents. 12 WHEN TO FIND BIRDS. Experience will soon show you the places where birds are most abundant. The more varied the nature of the country the greater number of species you may expect to find inhabiting it. An ideal locality would be a bit of tree-dotted meadow with a reed-bordered pond or stream, surrounded by woods, rolling uplands, and orchards. Common sense will tell you how to act in the field. Birds are gen- erally shy creatures and must be approached with caution. You must not, therefore, go observing or collecting dressed in flaming red, but in some inconspicuous garb and as quietly as a cat. Furthermore, go alone and keep the sun at your back — two apparently unrelated but equally important bits of advice. The collector generally has the instincts of a hunter, and practice will develop them. The " squeak " is one of his most valuable aids. It is made by placing the lips to the back of the hand or finger and kissing vigorously. The sound produced bears some resemblance to the cries of a wounded or young bird. In the nesting season its utter- ance frequently creates much excitement in the bird world, and at all times it is useful as a means of drawing bush- or reed-haunting species from their retreats. One may enter an apparently deserted thicket, and, after a few minutes' squeaking, find himself surrounded by an anxious or curious group of its feathered inhabitants. The observer of birds will find that by far the best way to study their habits is to take a sheltered seat in some favored locality and become a part of the background. Your passage through the woods is generally attended by sufficient noise to warn birds of your coming long before you see them. They are then suspicious and ill at ease. But secrete yourself near some spot loved by birds, and it may be your privilege to learn the secrets of the forest. When to Find Birds. — During the year the bird-life of temperate and boreal regions fluctuates with the changing seasons. Birds may thus be classed in the following groups according to the manner of their occurrence : Permanent residents are birds found in one locality throughout the year. Summer residents come from the south in the spring, rear their young, and leave in the fall. Winter visitants come from the north in the fall, pass the winter, and leave in the spring. Transient visitants pass through a given place in migrating to and from their summer homes north of it. Accidental visitants are birds which have lost their way. They are generally young and inexperi- enced, and are usually found in the fall. The best time of the year to begin studying birds is in the winter, when the bird population of temperate regions is at the minimum. The problem of identification is thus reduced to its simplest terms, and should be mastered before spring introduces new elements. THE ORNITHOLOGICAL YEAR. 13 The commoner permanent residents of the middle Eastern States are the following : Bob-white. Hairy Woodpecker, Ruflfed Grouse, Flicker, Red-shouldered Hawk, Blue Jay, Red-tailed Hawk, Crow, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Meadowlark, Barred Owl, American Goldfinch, Long-eared Owl, Purple Finch, Screech Owl, Song Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy Woodpecker," Chickadee, and occasionally the Waxwing, Bluebird, and Robin pass the winter. To these should be added the following more or less common winter visitant land-birds : Saw-whet Owl, Tree Sparrow, Horned Lark, J unco, Snowflake, Northern Shrike, Lapland Longspur, Winter Wren, Redpoll, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Crossbill, Brown Creeper. White-throated Sparrow, Let us now begin with the opening of the spring migration and briefly review the ornithological year. In the vicinity of New York city the first birds arrive from the south late in February or early in March. There is much variation in the coming of these early birds. Later, when the weather is more settled, migrants arrive within a few days of a given date. In April most of our winter visitants leave for the north. The current of migration grows steadily stronger until about May 12, when high-water mark is reached. Then it rapidly subsides and the spring migration is practically over by June 1. The winter visitants have gone, the great army of transients has passed us, and our bird population is now composed of permanent residents with the addition of about ninety summer residents. Nesting-time has arrived, and birds which for nearly a year have been free to go and come as inclination directed, now have homes where, day after day, they may be found in tireless attendance upon the nest and its treasures. Courtship, the construction of a dwelling, the task of incubation, and care of the young, all tend to stimulate the characteristic traits of the bird, and at no other time can its habits be studied to better advantage. But resident birds begin building long before the migration is con- 14 THE ORNITHOLOGICAL YEAR. eluded. The Great Horned Owl lays in February, other birds in March and April ; still, the height of the breeding season is not reached until June 1. Another period in the avian year closely connected with the spring migration and nesting-time is the song season. Near New York city it is inaugurated late in February by the Song Sparrow. Voice after voice is added to the choir, and in June our woods and fields ring with the chorus so dear to lovers of Nature. By the middle of July it is on ^he wane, and early in August it is practically over. Some birds have a brief second song season in the fall, but as a rule it lasts only a few days — it is a farewell to their summer homes.* August is a most discouraging month to the student of birds. Birds leave their accustomed haunts and retire to secluded places to renew their worn plumages. They are silent and inactive, and there- fore difficult to find. Late in the month they reappear clad in travel- ing costumes and ready for their southern journey. One by one they leave us, and there are days late in August and early in September when the woods are almost deserted of birds. Later the fall migra- tion becomes continuous, and each night brings a host of new arrivals. The spring migration is scarcely concluded before the fall migra- tion begins. July 1, Tree Swallows, which rarely nest near New York city, appear in numbers from the north and gather in immense flocks in our marshes. Later in the month they are joined by Bobolinks. Early in August the careful observer will detect occasional small flights of Warblers passing southward, and by September 10 the great southern march of the birds is well underway; it reaches its height betv/een the 20th and last of the month, when most of the win- ter residents arrive, and from this time our bird-life rapidly decreases. Some of the seed- and berry-eaters remain until driven southward by the cold weather in December. When they have gone our bird popu- lation is again reduced to the ever-present permanent residents and hardy winter visitants. The appended tables graphically illustrate the rise and fall of the migrations and of the nesting season. The first is based on my own observations at Englewood, N. J., kindly revised and supplemented by Mr. Eugene P. Bicknell from extended observations at Riverdale, on the opposite side of the Hudson River. The second was compiled from data accompanying the collections of the American Museum of Natural History. * See a series of papers by Mr. E. P. Bicknell entitled " A Study of the Sing- ing of our Birds." The Auk, i, 1884, pp. 60-71, 126-140, 209-218, 322-332 ; ii, 1885, pp. 144-154, ^9-262. THE SPRING MIGRATION. 15 Date of arrival. Feb. 15-Mur. 10. March 10-20. March 20-31. April 1-10. April 10-20. April 20-30. SPRING MIGRATION. Date of departure. Purple Gruckle November 1-30. Eusty Bhiekbird April-May. Ked-wingecl Blackbird November 1-30. Kobin November 1-30. Bluebird November 1-30. Woodcock November 1-30. Phcebe October 20-30. Meadowlark November 1-30, Cowbird November 1-30. Fox Sparrow April 1-15.^ AVilsou's Saipe May 1-10. Kiuglisher November 1-30. Mourning Dove November 1-30. Swamp Sparrow November 1-30. Field Sparrow November 1-30. Great Blue Heron November 1-30. Purple Finch November 1-30. Vesper Sparrow November 1-30. Savanna Sparrow May 1-15. Chipping Sparrow November 1-30. Tree Swallow May 15-31. Myrtle Warbler May 10-20. American Pipit April 15-25. Hermit Thrush April 25-May 10. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker April 20-30. Barn Swallow October 1-10. Yellow Palm Warbler April 25-May 10. Pine Warbler May 1-10. Louisiana Water Thrush September 20-30. Euby-crowned Kinglet May 1-15. Green Heron October 10-20. Spotted Sandpiper September 20-30. Whip-poor-will October 10-20. Chimney Swift October 1-10. Least Flycatcher October 1-10. Towhee October 20-30. Blue-headed Vireo May 10-20. Purple Martin September 20-30. Cliff Swallow October 1-10. Bank Swallow October 1-10. Eough-winged Swallow September 1-10. Black and White Warbler October 1-10. Black-throated Green Warbler May 15-25. Oven-bird October 1-10. House Wren October 10-20. Brown Thrasher October 10-20. 16 THE SPRING MIGRATION. Date of arrival. Date of departure. April 20-30. Catbird October 10-20. Wood Thrush October 1-10. May i-10. Solitary Sandpiper May 15-25. Yellow-billed Cuckoo October 1-10. Black-billed Cuckoo October 1-10. Nighthawk October 10-20. Kuby-throated Hummingbird September 20-30. Crested Flycatcher September 20-30. Kingbird September 20-30. Baltimore Oriole September 10-20. Orchard Oriole September 1-10. Bobolink October 1-10. Yellow- winged Sparrow October 1-10. Indigo Bunting October 1-10. Eose-breasted Grosbeak September 20-30. Scarlet Tanager October 1-10. Ked-eyed Vireo October 10-20. Warbling Vireo September 20-30. Yellow-throated Vireo September 20-30. White-eyed Vireo October 1-10. Nashville Warbler May 20-30. Blue-winged Warbler September 1-10. Parula Warbler May 20-30. Yellow Warbler September 10-20. Black-throated Blue Warbler May 15-30. Magnolia Warbler May 15-30. Chestnut-sided Warbler May 20-30. Prairie Warbler May 20-30. Maryland Yellow-throat October 10-20. Small-billed Water Thrush May 1 5-30. Hooded Warbler September 20-30. Yellow-breasted Chat September 10-20. Eedstart October 1-10. Wilson's Thrush September 20-30. May 10-20. Wood Pewee . . September 20-30. Acadian Flycatcher September 1-10. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher May 20-30. "White-crowned Sparrow May 15-25. Golden- winged Warbler May 15-25. Tennessee Warbler May 15-25. Worm-eating Warbler September 1-10. Cape May Warbler May 15-25. Blackburnian Warbler May 15-25. Bay-breasted Warbler May 20-30. Blackpoll Warbler May 25-June 5. Wilson's Warbler May 20-30. Canadian Warble^ May 25-June 5. THE FALL MIGRATION. 17 Date of arrival. Date of departure. May 10-20. LoDg-billed iSIarsh Wren October 10-20. Short-billed Marsh Wren October 10-20. Olive-backed Thrush May 20- June 1. Gray-cheeked Thrush May 25-June 5. May 20-30. Traill's Flycatcher (?) Mourning Warbler May 30-June 5. Bicknell's Thrush (?) FALL MIGRATION. MIGRAXTS ARKIVING FROil THE NORTH. Date of arrival. August 1-15. August 15-31. September 1-10. September 10-20. September 20-30. October 1-10. Date of departure. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher September 20-30. Golden- winged Warbler September 1-10. Chestnut-sided Warbler Sept. 30-Oct. 10. Canadian Warbler September 20-30. Small-billed Water Thrush Sept. 25-Oct. 5. Olive-sided Flycatcher September 10-20. Tennessee Warbler Sept. 25-Oct. 5. Nashville Warbler Sept, 25-Oct. 5. Parula Warbler October 15-25. Cape May Warbler Sept. 25-Oct. 5. Black-throated Green Warbler October 15-25. Black-throated Blue Warbler October 15-25. Magnolia Warbler October 10-20. Blackburnian Warbler September 20-30. Wilson's Warbler September 20-30. Canadian Nuthatch November 1-30. Red-headed Woodpecker November 1-30. Blackpoll Warbler October 15-25. Connecticut Warbler September 20-30. Blue-headed Vireo October 15-25. Philadelphia Yireo September 20-30. Olive-backed Thrush October 1-10. Bicknell's Thrush October 1-10. Yellow-bellied Woodpecker October 20-30. .Junco April 10-May 10. White-throated Sparrow May 1-25. Myrtle Warbler May 5-20. Yellow Palm Warbler October 15-30. Brown Creeper April 1-30. Golden-crowned Kinglet April 1-20. Ruby-crowned Kinglet October 20-30. Winter Wren April 1-30. Gray-cheeked Thrush October 15-25. Bronzed Grackle December 1-30. Rusty Blackbird December 1-30. American Pipit Oct. 25-Nov. 5. j^g THE FALL MIGRATION. Date of arrival. I>ate of departure. Oct. 1-10. Hermit Tlirusli >iovember 1-yO. October 10-20. Fox Sparrow Nov. 25-Dec. 5. October 20-31. Pine Finch May 1-31. Tree Sparrow April 1-30. Northern Shrike March 1-31. SUMMER RESIDENTS LEAVING FOR THE SOUTH. Date of departure. September 1-10. x\cadian Flycatcher Orchard Oriole Kough-winged Swallow Worm- eating Warbler Blue-winged Warbler September 10-20.' Baltimore Oriole Purple Martin Yellow Warbler Yellow-breasted Chat September 20-30. Hummingbird Kingbird : Great-crested Flycatcher Wood Pewee , Kose-breasted Grosbeak Yellow-throated Vireo Warbling Vireo Hooded Warbler Louisiana Water Thrush Wilson's Thrush October 1-10. Yellow-billed Cuckoo Black-billed Cuckoo Chimney Swift Least Flycatcher Bobolink Yellow-winged Sparrow Indigo Bunting Scarlet Tanager Barn Swallow Cliff Swallow . . .• Bank Swallow White-eyed "Vireo Black and White Warbler Eeclstart Oven-bird Wood Thrush October 10-20. Whip-poor-will Nighthawk Ked-eyed Vireo Maryland Yellow-throat THE NESTING SEASON. 19 Date of departure, Oct. 10-20. Long-billed Marsh Wren Short-billed Marsh Wren House Wren Brown Thrasher Catbird October 20-31. Phoebe Towhee Tree Swallow November 1-30.* Woodcock Mourninof Dove Kingfisher Ked-winged Blackbird Purple Grackle Cowbird Vesper Sparrow Field Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Swamp Sparrow DATES AT WHICH BIRDS BEGIN TO NEST IN THE VICINITY OF NEW YORK CITY.t Feb. 28. Great Horned Owl. May 2. Osprey. Mar. 12. Barred (Jwl. 3. Cardinal. 28. Carolina Wren. 5. Cowbird. [In Song Spar- 30. Duck Hawk. row's nest.] April 1. Woodcock. 6. Wood Duck. 3. Red-shouldered Hawk. 6. Green Heron. 3. Screech Owl. 7. Flicker. 6. Eed-tailed Hawk. 8. Barn Swallow. 9. American Crow. 10. Clapper Eail. 9. Long-eared Owl. 10. Killdeer. 10. Bluebird. 10. Kutfed Grouse. 17. White-breasted Nuthatch. 10. Sparrow Hawk. 18. Broad-winged Hawk. 10. Savanna Sparrow. 20. Robin. 10. Vesper Sparrow. 25. Mourning Dove. 11. Louisiana Water-Thrush. 25. Purple Grackle. 12. Ruby-throated Hummingbird. 28. Phoebe. 13. Red-headed Woodpecker. 29. Song Sparrow. 14. Acadian Flycatcher. May 1. Black-crowned Night Heron. 14. Blue Jay. 1. Cooper's Hawk. 14. Chipping Sparrow. 1. Kingfisher. 14. Towhee. * Should the season be an exceptionally mild one, many of these birds may remain until late in December. t Based on data accompanying the oological collections of the American Museum, and on the observations of Prof. Marston T. Bogert, Dr. J. Dwight, Jr., Dr. Evan M. Evans, Mr. W. P. Lemmon, and the author. The dates given are those on which, with some exceptions, full sets of eggs have been taken. 20 THE NESTING SEASON. May 15. King Rail. May 25. Maryland Yellow-throat. 15. Virginia Kail. 26. Bob-white. 15. Meadowlark. 26. Marsh Hawk. 15. Field Sparrow. 28. Grasshopper Sparrow. 15. Swamp Sparrow. 28. Red-eyed Vireo. 15. Hooded Warbler. 28. Yellow-throated Vireo. 16. Blue-winged Warbler. 29. Black-billed Cuckoo. 16. Brown Thrasher. 29. Kingbird. . IV. Fish Crow. 29. Bobolink. 17. Redstart. 29. Indigo Bunting. 17. Catbird. 29. Chestnut-sided Warbler. 17. Wood Thrush. 30. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 18. Red-winged Blackbird. . 30. Orchard Oriole. 18. Black and White Warbler. 30. Seaside Sparrow. 18. House Wren. SO. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 19. Tree Swallow. 30. Rough-winged Swallow. 19. Bank Swallow. 30. Clift' Swallow. 19. Chickadee. 30. Warbling Vireo. 20. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 30. Prairie Warbler. 20. AVorm-eating Warbler. 31. Long-billed Marsh Wren. 20. Oven-bird. 31. Least Bittern. 20. Veery. June 1. Bartramian Sandpiper. 21. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Piping Plover. 21. Downy Woodpecker. Nighthawk. 21. Least Flycatcher. Kentucky Warbler. 22. Parula Warbler. 3. Whip-poor-will. 23. Hairy Woodpecker. 3. Great- crested Flycatcher. 23. Chat. 3. Scarlet Tanager. 24. Purple Finch. 5. Wood Pewee. 24. Spotted Sandpiper. 7. Short-billed Marsh Wren 25. Chimney Swift. 8. Laughing Gull. 25. Baltimore Oriole. 12. Common Tern. 25. Purple Martin. 19. Cedar Waxwing. 25. White-eyed Vireo. 20. American Goldfinch. Hints on keeping Note-Boohs and Journals. — The necessity of a well-kept journal can not be too strongly urged. Specimens may be duplicated, but no one can ever see with your eyes. Do not attempt to trust to your memory — a willing servant of the mind too frequently imposed upon. It may receive and retain one impression clearly, but as others are added the earlier ones lose their distinctness or become entirely effaced. The system adopted for recording notes should be simple to keep and easy of reference. The one here recommended has stood the test of ten years" experience. After returning from the field I enter in my "roll-hook," at once, a record of the weather, temperature, direction and force of the wind, locality visited, time of starting and returning, NOTE-BOOKS AND JOURNALS. 21 and incidental observations on the blooming of flowers, appearance of certain insects, calling of frogs, etc. Then follows a statement of the numbers of every species of birds seen, with various remarks concern- ing them. One might suppose that much time would be required to make a detailed record of this kind, but, on the contrary, it seldom takes five minutes. Almost any stationer can supply you with a " roll-" or " time-book " having a space at the left side of the left-hand page for the entry of names, and the rest of both pages ruled in squares. The best plan is :o have sheets of paper ruled in this way. These sheets should have holes punched in their margins for binding in covers, when new sheets can be inserted as desired. Some idea of their appearance may be gathered from the appended part of a left-hand page : Date Weather Temperature Wind Locality Start Return '. Remarks Bluebird - Robin 22 NOTE-BOOKS AND JOURNALS. After filling in the preliminary data I write after the name of each bird either the exact or approximate number of individuals seen, or else the letters " A.," *' C," or " T. C," meaning abundant, common, or tol- erably common. This is accompanied by an " s " if the bird is in song, or "calls " if it is simply heard calling. The possibilities of abbrevia- tion are unlimited, but use no abbreviation which is not fully explained. If you wish to make a record of some length concerning a certain species, place a cross or asterisk in its square. This refers to your journal of the same date. Read from left to right, the roll-book gives in a graphic, condensed form the standing of a species during the period of observation. Read from the top to the bottom of the page, it gives in an easily comparable way the complete record of each day, and at the same time it becomes an index to the bird-notes in your journal. To prevent needlessly multiplying your roll-books the series of birds' names should be made to last at least during an entire season. To this end do not completely fill the right-hand page, but when you have used all of it but a space equal in width to the space occupied by the colunm of birds' names, cut this part of the page — the ex- treme right — off ; the part remaining will, when turned over to the left, just meet the column of names, and the lines of this column and the new page will thus run continuously. As before remarked, the roll-book should be attended to immediately on returning from the. field, while your impressions are fresh. The journal may wait, when a reference to the roll-book will aid in recalling the day's experiences. In addition to these two books, both of which should be quarto size, you need a small, leather-covered, pocket note-book for use in jotting memoranda in the field. CHAPTER III. COLLECTING BIRDS, THEIR NESTS, AND EGGS. CoUecting Birds. — With few exceptions, the phiinages of the birds of the eastern United States are well known to science. You will col- lect them, therefore, purely for the purpose of self-education. To this end it is not necessary that you should acquire the large series of speci- mens found in museums. From two to five specimens of each kind are enough, and when through their medium you have become famil- iar with the appearance of the species they represent, use the gun only to add to your list of acquaintances. If you wish to make a detailed, critical study of changes in the plumage of species due to age, sex, or season, or to compare some apparently abnormal specimen, visit the nearest museum, the collections of which should be accessible to every earnest student. Our eastern birds have been measured and described, their varia- tions noted and recorded, and there is little left to learn in study- ing their skins from a local standpoint. What we want now is knowl- edge of the living, not the dead, bird. A thoroughly exhaustive account of the habits of any one of our commonest birds is still to be written. Remember, then, that collections are a means, not the end, of ornithological research. When armed and ready for the field, you should have a canvas hunting-coat, a pair of field- or opera-glasses, a fisherman's basket or " creel," a discarded octavo pamphlet or catalogue of rather heavy paper, cotton, a small bottle of corn-meal, and a 16-bore shot-gun with a 0-82 auxiliary barrel, and the necessary complement of shells. The auxiliary barrel can be purchased of dealers in natural history supplies; it should not exceed ten inches in length. The shells for it should be of brass, center-fire, and strong enough to stand reloading many times. Load them with a fine-grained powder and Xo. 12 shot — about three fifths powder and two fifths shot. For killing birds from the size of a Blue Jay downward they will be efl'ective at a dis- tance of twenty to twenty-five yards. In other words, fully three fourths of your shooting will be done with them. Of 16-bore shells 23 24 MAKING BIRDSKINS. carry some loaded with two and a half drachms of powder and three fourths of an ounce of No. 10 shot, and a few others loaded with the same charge of powder and an ounce of No. 6 shot. On killing a bird, pick it up by the bill or feet, and at once sprinkle meal or dry earth on any blood which may be visible. When this is saturated, scrape it off with a knife-blade and repeat the operation until all the blood is absorbed. Sprinkle some meal at the base of the feathers about the shot-holes from which the blood appears, or, if necessary, plug these holes with bits of cotton. Place a large plug of cotton in the mouth and force it well down the throat to prevent bleeding at the mouth from an internal wound. In some cases it is necessary to also plug the nostrils. Now make a cornucopia from a leaf of the pamphlet, drop the bird in it head foremost, taking care that the bill is not turned forward on to the throat, and, if the bird is not too large, fold in the edges of the cornucopia and place the specimen in your basket. In the case of very large specimens — Hawks, Owls, etc. — it is advisable to skin out the body in the field, when they can be packed in much smaller space. 3Iaki7ig Birdskins. — If you have fully decided to make a collection of birds, the very best and cheapest way to begin it is to get some one to give you two or three lessons in the art of preparing birdskins. With proper instruction it is not difficult to learn to skin birds. I have known beginners who had closely watched experts at work, make fair skins at their first attempt — better skins, indeed, than the person who learns only from written directions may ever make. I am speak- ing from experience. Only too cleai'ly do I remember my own first attempts at skinning birds and their hopelessly wretched results. In despair I at last sought the assistance of a distaijt ornithological friend. In one lesson he made the process so clear to me that I was at once enabled to make skins twice as quickly and twice as well. However, we unfortunately are not all blessed with ornithological friends to whom we can turn for advice, and I therefore append the following directions for making birdskins : First procure a scalpel with a well-rounded end, a pair of sharp- pointed scissors with rather long handles, a pair of blunt-ended, rather strong scissors, and a pair of flat-ended forceps. These may be pur- chased of any dealer in naturalists' supplies or at a surgical instrument maker's. Procure also a quart or so of fine corn-meal to use as an ab- sorbent, a pound or two of powdered arsenic and alum mixed in equal parts, and an abundance of the best cotton batting money will buy. Now we are ready to begin with a bird, say, the size of a Robin : 1. Plug the bird's throat and nostrils tightly with fresh cotton. If the eyeball is ruptured, pull it out with the forceps and fill the cavity MAKING BIRDSKINS. 25 with meal. 2. Lay the bird before you on its back, its bill pointing to the left ; place your open left hand lengthwise on it, so that the base of your first and second fingers rests on the middle of the breast- bone ; use these fingers and the handle of the scalpel to separate the feathers from near the end of the breastbone to the vent, and when the parting is made use the same fingers to hold the feathers aside, tj. With the scalpel make an incision in the skin from just in front of the end of the breastbone, or at the base of the V formed by the spread fingers, to the vent, being careful not to cut through into the abdomen. 4. Sprinkle a pinch of meal along the cut. 5. Lift the skin at the front end of the cut and insert the end of the scalpel handle between it and the breastbone. If you try to do this lower down on the cut, over the belly, you will find it difficult to separate the skin on which the feathers grow from the immediately underlying skin which covers the abdomen. Separate the skin from the body the whole length of the cut and as far down toward the backbone as possible, thus exposing the bare knee. 6. Take hold of the foot and push the knee farther up into view, then take the blunt-ended scissors and, on the inside of the skin, clip the leg entirely in two. 7. Repeat opera- tions 5 and 6 on the other side of the body. 8. Press away the skin as much as possible on either side of the rump, and place the thumb at the left side (left, seen from above) of the base of the tail or " pope's nose," with the first finger on the other side (both inside the skin) and the second finger behind (above) on the rump ; now with the blunt scissors cut through the flesh between the thumb and first finger toward the second finger, which serves the purpose of a guard to pre- vent you from cutting through the skin. 9. Stand the bird on its breastbone, the belly toward you, and with both thumbs press the tail and skin of the rump over and down off the stump from which you have just cut it. 10. When the stump is free from the skin, take hold of it with the right hand and with the fingers of the left gently press the skin from the body, keeping it constantly turned inside out and using an abundance of meal. 11. Soon the wing-bones (humerus) will appear. Clip them off at either side close to the body, and re- sume skinning as before. 12. The skin will slip easily over the neck, and you will then meet with an obstruction in the head. 13. Work the skin carefully over the head, using the tips of the first two fingers of either hand, placing the thumbs as a brace farther forward over the eyes.* 14. Pull the ears carefully from their sockets. 15. The eyes * In large-headed birds, like Ducks and Woodpeckers, this is impossible, and it is necessarj^ to slit the skin down the back of the neck and push the skull through the opening. 20 MAKING A BIRDSKIN. will now appear ; carefully cut the membrane joining the skin and eyeball, making the incision as far back as possible, in order to avoid cutting the skin, which should be pulled forward until it is entirely free of the eyeball. 16. Remove the eyes with the forceps. 17. With the sharp-pointed scissors make an incision directly across the roof of tiie mouth, inside the branches of the lower mandible, just back of the skin, and below the eye-sockets. 18. With the sharp-pointed scissors make incisions from either end of this cut back along the branches of the lower mandible through the base of the skull on either side of the neck at its junction with the skull. 19. Connect these cuts by a fourth, which passes through the base of the skull just above the neck, and pull the body and neck from the skull. 20. Scoop out what brains remain with the handle of the scalpel. 21. Pull the end of the wing- bone (humerus) inward, skinning the feathers off the bones of the fore- arm (radius and ulna), and remove the flesh. 22. Do the same thing for the legs, but, after cleaning, do not in either case pull the bones back. 23. Remove as much flesh as possible from the base of the tail, including the oil-gland at the base of the tail above. 24. Hold the skin over the arsenic and alum box, and with a bit of fluffy cotton at the end of a stick, or held in the forceps, dust it thoroughly with the poison, giving an extra allowance to the base of the tail and bones of the skull, wings, and legs. 25. Pull the legs back into place. 26. Place a fluff of cotton on the end of a wire and roll it into a firm, smooth ball, placing one in each eye-socket. 27. Coax the skin back over the head, using the first two fingers of each hand and placing the thumbs at the base of the skull. When the tip of the bill appears through the feathers, use the fingers outside, on the feathers, pressing the skin back over the head, and keeping the thumbs in the same position. When the bill is free, take it with the right hand, and use the fingers of the left to urge the skin over the skull, being careful to get it in its former place so that the feathers of the head will lie smoothly. 28. Dress the feathers of the head, particularly those about the eye. 29. Take hold of the tip of the bill and shake the skin gently but vigorously to aid in settling the plumage. 30. Lay the skin on its back, the bill pointing from you, and turn back the feathers about the opening on the belly. 31. See that the wing-bones lie flat on the back of the skin, with their ends touching each other.* 32. * The most difficult part in making a birdskin is to induce the wings to as' sume anything like their natural position when closed. This is because the arti- ficial, cotton body is apt to force them outward on to the sides rather than on the back, where they belong. In the bird in the flesh the wings are held in place by being attached to the body ; in the skin they are loose and hanging. To remedy this, after drawing SEXING. 27 Take a bit of fluffy cotton, press it lightly together, antl draw out one end to form a neck. When released from your grasp this cotton body should be but little larger than the body you have removed from the skin. 33. Take the end of the neck with the forceps and insert it gently into the neck of the skin, working the skin down on to it in order to avoid stretching the neck, until the points of the forceps ap- pear in the mouth, then hold the cotton there and withdraw the for- ceps. 34. Carefully fit the cotton body into the skin. 35. Put one or two stitches in the incision on the belly. 36. Ascertain the sex of the bird (see beyond). 37. Cross the legs, and at the point of intersection attach a label (see beyond). 38. Squeeze the wing-bones together until you feel the tips of your fingers meet over the bird's back. 39. Pre- pare a sheet of cotton about five inches square and as thin as you can make it ; lay the bird on this on its right side, the bill pointing to your right hand. 40. Put the left wing in place and dress the feathers about it. 41. Take hold of the sheet of cotton, and turn the bird over in it in order that you may dress the right wing. 42. Roll the bird on to its belly, holding the wings in position with the thumb and first finger of the left hand, and with the right hand bring the tips of the wing- feathers into their proper place over the back. 43. Roll the bird back on to its back, the bill pointing to your right hand ; take the end of the sheet of cotton farthest from you and draw it lightly over the bird to the side nearest you. 44. Draw the end nearest you in the opposite direction. 45. See that the feet, tail, and tips of the wings are in their proper position, and place your specimen out of harm's way to dry. It will doubtless take you from half an hour to an hour to make your first birdskin. It will probably be a sorry-looking object, per- haps minus a head or tail or half its feathers ; but do not let this dis- courage you. An expert can make ten birdskins an hour, and you need only practice to approach this. There are endless variations of the method here described. It is not possible to go into further details here, and if you have taxider- mic ambitions I would advise you to procure a copy of Mr. W. T. Hornaday's excellent Taxidermy and Zoological Collecting (Scribner, $3.50). Sexing. — A specimen without a sex mark on its label is of com- paratively little value. The sex in many birds can of course be dis- the wing-bones in to remove the flesh from them, they should be pushed back only far enough to enable one to see plainly the elbow or bend of the wing out- side of the skin. This prevents the wings from hanging, and, to further keep them in place, it will be well at first to tie the ends of the bones (humeri) to- gether. 28 CATALOGUING AND LABELING. tinguished by their color, but the young male frequently resembles the female, while in some instances the female has been known to as- sume the plumage of the male. Dissection, therefore, is the only safe way to determine sex. Upon reaching stage 86, in the operation of making a birdskin, cut through the left side of the body from the vent to the neck, taking care not to disturb the internal organs. Force the edges of the opening apart, and, pressing the intestines gently to Fig. 1.— a completed birdskin. (Reduced). one side, look for the sexual organs, which will be found on the walls of the small of the back very near to the backbone. The male organs (testes), two in number, are usually dull-white, elongate bodies lying side by side. The female organs (ovaries) are composed of numerous round bodies lying in a mass or cluster. In the breeding season the sexual organs of birds become much enlarged, and at this season the testes of a male Chipping Sparrow are about the size of a pea, while the ovaries of the female have been likened to a bunch of grapes, the largest being the size of the yolk of the egg of this species. After the breeding season the sexual organs decrease in size, and in adults in the winter and young birds are sometimes difficult to find. The testes of a male Chipping Sparrow at that season are about as large as a small pinhead. while a hand-lens is required to plainly disiinguish the ova- ries of the female. The arrow of Mars ( ^ ) is used to indicate the male sex ; the mirror of Venus ( ? ) the female sex. Cataloguing and Labeling. — Before skinning your birds you should catalogue them. The catalogue should have columns giving (1) the date, (2) your serial collection number, (3) name of the bird, (4) sex, (5) place of capture, (6) name of collector, -and (7) remarks. In the last column enter any notes on the color of the eyes, or parts which will change color when drying, contents of the stomach, and other notes. In addition to this " day-book " or " blotter " some ornithologists open a ledger account with their collection, and devote a folio to each spe- cies where are posted the entries made in the collection register. Labels should be of strong bond paper, two inches and a half long and half an inch wide. They are attached to the crossed legs of the bird by linen thread strung through their left end. The face of the label bears the name and sex of the_bird, place and date of capture, CARE OF COLLECTIONS. 29 name of collector, and serial collection number. The label shown in Fig. 1 is small, but will illustrate the appearance and manner of at- tachment. The name of the owner of the collection is printed on the back of the label, preceded by the words " Collection of." Many collectors prefer to use as a field label a small jeweler's tag upon which the collection number, sex, and date are written. The large label is added after the specimen is dry. Care of a Collection. — The best cases in which to keep a collection of birdskins are known as " Cambridge cans." They are made of tin with covers which fit into grooves lined with rubber tubing, and are practically air-tight. The smaller sizes cost from five dollars to seven dollars and a half each, and can be obtained of Muller and Wood, 731 Seventh Avenue, New York city. A wooden cabinet with tight-fitting drawers and door is less ex- pensive, and with ordinary care will preserve specimens for a prac- tically indefinite period. The drawers should be thirty inches long by sixteen inches in width. For birds the size of a Robin a depth of one inch and three quarters is sufficient, while drawers four inches deep will take the largest Hawks or Owls. These drawers will hold about thirty birds the size of a Robin, eighty the size of a Chickadee, and eight to ten Hawks and Owls. Well cleaned and thoroughly poisoned specimens of small birds are not likely to be attacked by the moth (Tinea) or beetles (Dermestes and Anthrenus) which so often infest poorly prepared or nonpoisoned skins. Naphthaline crystals or camphor gum should be placed in each drawer of the cabinet, the door of which should not be left open needlessly. If a specimen falls a victim to insects, the better plan is to discard it at once. If, however, it is rare, it may be taken out-of- doors and placed in an air-tight box with a few tablespoonfuls of bisulphuret of carbon. Collecting and Preserving Nests and Eggs. — No one, I think, will venture to dispute the assertion that Captain Charles Bendire. Hon- orary Curator of the Department of Oology in the United States Na- tional Museum, is our leading authority on the study of birds' eggs. The following quotation, therefore, from Captain Bendire's Instruc- tions for Collecting, Preparing, and Preserving Birds' Eggs and Nests - may be taken as the opinion of one who knows whereof he speaks : *' Unless the would-be collector intends to make an especial study of oology and has a higher aim than the mere desire to take and accu- mulate as large a number of eggs as possible regardless of their proper identification, he had better not begin at all, but leave the nests and * Part D. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 39, 1891, pp. 3-10. 30 COLLECTING NESTS AND EGGS. eggs of our birds alone and undisturbed. They have too many ene- mies to contend with, without adding the average egg collector to the number. The mere accumulation of specimens is the least important object of the true oologist. His principal aim should be to make care- ful observations on the habits, call notes, song, the character of the food, mode and length of incubation, and the actions of the species generally, from the beginning of the mating season to the time the young are able to leave the nest. This period comprises the most in- teresting and instructive part of the life-history of our birds." Very heartily do I indorse every word of this, and to the concluding sen- tence I would add : and there can be no better way to avoid increasing our knowledge of a bird's domestic life than to rob it of its eggs, and destroy its home and our own opportunities at the same time. Studied from a local standpoint, I confess I can see only two points of interest in a bird's egg — one is what the egg is in, the other is what is in the Nevertheless, I can understand the pleasure attending the legiti- mate formation of what Captain Bendire calls " a small, thoroughly identified, well-prepared, and neatly cared for collection," which, as the same author adds, " is worth far more scientifically and in every other way than a more extensive one gained by exchange or purchase." An egg-collector's outfit consists of several drills, an embryo-hook, a blowpipe, forceps, and scissors. A fresh egg should be blown through a hole slightly larger than the tip of the blowpipe. Drill the hole in the side of the egg, and, after inserting the blowpipe about one sixteenth of an inch, blow gently and steadily until the contents have been removed. Then rinse the egg thoroughly with water and lay it hole downward on corn-meal to drain. In eggs containing embryos it is necessary to make a hole large enough to permit of the use of the embryo-hook, scissors, or forceps, as the case may be. Each egg should be marked with the number of the species in the Check List of the American Ornithologists' Union, the number of the set in your collection, and the number of eggs in the set. Thus, if I were going to label my second set of four eggs of the Bluebird, I should write with a lead pencil on each egg, near the hole, 766|. There are many ways of displaying collections of eggs. Some col- lectors place their eggs in little boxes or partitions filled with sawdust or cotton ; Captain Bendire uses small pasteboard trays lined, bottom and sides, with cotton wadding, and divided into partitions for each egg by strips of cotton wadding set on edge. It is, however, very largely a matter of taste, and collectors generally have their own ideas on these matters. COLLECTING NESTS AND EGGS. 31 A collection of birds' nests is a telling object lesson in the study of ornithology. Familiar as I am with them, I never see the nests of some birds without feeling the most intense admiration for the mar- velous skill which has aided them in forming a structure man would find it difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate. A bird's nest in its original site is a concrete expression of the intelligence of its maker; for the foresight displayed in the choice of a situation, and the inge- nuity shown in the construction of the nest, even if largely instinctive now, originated in the intelligence of a line of ancestors. Nests may be collected before they have been used, when the birds will generally build again ; or you may wait and take them after the birds have left them, labeling each nest with what you have learned (»f the history of its owners. For example : Time required for its con- struction ; whether made by one or both sexes; notes on the laying of the eggs ; period of incubation ; whether both sexes assisted in incu- bation ; care of the young ; number of days they were in the nest, etc. Some nests, for Sxample the pendent '' baskets " of Vireos or such as are placed in crotches, should be taken with the crotch or branch to which they are attached. With others it is obviously impossible to do this. They should therefore be placed in a frame of wire and wrapped about with fine wire thread. To make this frame, twist two pieces of annealed wire, painted brown, into the shape of a letter X. About midway from the point of intersection and the end of the arm, bend the wires upward at right angles. Now take the fine hair or thread wire and wind it about the four horizontal arras of the frame until its bottom looks like a spider's web ; place the nest in this half-formed basket, bend the upright wires inward or outward as the case requires, and continue winding until the nest is bound firmly. The size of the frame and the wire used in its construction may be varied to suit the nest. PLAN OF THE WORK. Nomenclature. — The nomenclature of the American Ornithologists Union's * Check-List of North American Birds has been adopted. The number preceding the name of each species is its permanent number in the Union's " Check-List." Definition of Terms. — The accompanying figure with its named parts will explain the meaning of the terms used in the following de- scriptions of birds. The words, upper parts and under parts, men- tioned so frequently, refer respectively to the whole upper or under surfaces of the body of the bird from the base of the bill to the root of the tail, but are not applied to either wings or tail. There are infinite variations in the markings of feathers, and those figured present only the patterns most frequently met with. The shaft of the feather is the midrib, to either side of which the vanes or webs are attached. The Keys. — It is of the utmost importance to thoroughly under- stand the use of the keys. At first sight they will, no doubt, appear confusing, biit in reality they are exceedingly simple. The system upon which they are arranged may be mastered in a few minutes, and you will then be surprised at the ease and rapidity with which, even in large families you can "run a bird down," The Key to Families.— Strictly speaking this is not one key but a series of keys, one under each order. The orders are placed in a natural sequence— that is, we begin with the oldest or lowest forms of birds, Loons, Grebes, etc., and end with *The American Ornithologists'' Union is the 'leading society of its kind in this country. Its membership includes the foremost ornithologists of the world, and is divided into four classes : 1. Honorary members, limited to 25 in number. 2. Active members, limited to 50 in number, who must be residents of North America. 3. Corresponding members, hmited to 100 in number ; and 4. Asso- ciate members, who must be residents of North America, and are not limited as to number. The total membership of the Union in December, 1894, was 61C. Annual meetings are held, usually in Washington, New York, or Cambridge. The Auk, the official organ of the Union, is a quarterly journal imder the editor- ship of Dr. J. A. Allen, at the American Museum of Natural History. 32 USE OF THE KEYS. 33 the most highly developed ones, Thrushes, Bluebirds, etc. Two main divisions are given : first, Water Birds ; second, Land Birds. In no case will it be difficult to decide in x^^hich of these groups a bird be= longs. Now glance over the illustrations and select the one which you think most nearly resembles the bird you are identifying. At 34 USE OF THE KEYS. each step test your decision by reading the brief diagnoses of orders and families. In this way you may readily place your bird in its proper family. The Keys to Species.— If a bird always wore the same plumage it would be a comparatively easy matter to place it in a certain section Fig, 3.— Spotted (a), "streaked (6), barred (c), and margined (d) feathers. of a key and keep it there. But, unfortunately, not only are the males and females of the same species frequently quite unlike, and the young different from either, but their plumages may vary with the season. Thus, you see, a bird's color is a most uncertain quantity. An individ- ual of a given species may not only wear two very different costumes, but, in doffing one for another, he does it gradually, and in the mean- time appears in changing or transition plumage. For this reason it has been customary to base keys on only adult males. Such keys do very well in the nesting season, when birds are in song, and when males constitute probably nine tenths of the birds one sees. But at other times of the year young birds outnumber the old ones, and the adults themselves may lose their breeding plumage and wear quite a different one. I have, therefore, attempted to make keys which will identify a bird in any plumage. To do this it was necessary to use many more specimens than there were species. For example, the key to our some 40 species of Warblers is based on 110 specimens representing as many phases of plumage. With identification as the sole end in view I have, in the keys, abandoned all attempts to follow the current system of classification, and, taking color as the most tangible character, have to a great extent arranged the species on this character alone. The result, from the sys- tematist's standpoint, is most unnatural. Species of different genera USE OF THE KEYS. 35 are brought into the same subsections, and the more variable species may be placed in several widely separated sections. The maker of keys, however, should not try to serve two masters. If the keys will identify, they will have accomplished their purpose. The classification of our birds is shown in the body of the book, wJiere the species are arranged according to the system adopted by the Ameri- can Ornithologists' Union. In making these keys the birds are first assorted into several major sections or groups, according to the markings of some one part of the body. Each one of these sections is preceded by the same kind of number or letter. The heading of a group or section applies to all the species included in it. Thus, if I does not apply to the bird you are identifying, you must pass at once to II, or III, or IV, as the case may be. In like manner, if the bird does not fall into sections 1, A, or a, we go to 2, B, or b, respectively. Even should the first section describe your bird, it is well to read the sections which are contrasted with it. As a model to show how the keys are used, let us identify, first, a male adult Red-winged Blackbird — a black bird with a red and buff shoulder-patch. Turning to the key to the family Ideridce, or Black- birds, Orioles, etc., we read : " I. With yellow or orange in the under parts. " II. Under parts black, with or without metallic reflections. " III. Under parts grayish, slate color, chestnut, or buffy. " IV. Under parts black and white, or black tipped and margined with rusty." Our bird has the under parts entirely black, so it evidently belongs in Section II. Under this section we read: ''A. Outer tail-feather 0'75 or more shorter than middle ones; bill 1*00 or more in length." Our bird has all the tail-feathers of nearly equal length, the bill less than an inch long. It can not therefore belong in A, so we go to B and read : " Outer tail-feather little if any shorter than middle ones ; bill less than 1*00 in length." There is no other section, and we con- clude that our bird belongs here. Now«we find a, &, c, d, each one placed directly beneath the other, and each one leading to the name of a species. This means that the statement following these letters refers to some mark or character by which one of these species may be known from the other, and that we should read them all. First comes " a. Entire plumage bluish black." That will not do. Second, " h. A red and buff shoulder-patch." Evidently this refers to our bird, but we confirm our belief by glancing at c and d, neither of which can apply to our specimen ; we decide, therefore, that it is a Red-winged Blackbird, and turning to the extended description of Agelaius phos- niceus verify our identification. 36 USE OF THE KEYS. Now let us take a somewhat less simple case — a male English Spar- row. This bird, you will doubtless remember, has a black patch on the throat and breast, a slate-colored crown, chestnut marks on the sides of the head, and a streaked back. Turning to the key to the family FringillidcB, or Finches, Sparrows, etc., we read first the head- ings to the main divisions which, in the larger families, are placed at the beginning of the key in order that they may be more readily com- pared. " I. Under parts with red. " II. Under parts with no red, and without distinct streaks ; throat or breast sometimes with a patch or spot. " III. Under parts without red, and with numerous streaks." Our bird undoubtedly belongs in Section II. Under this section we read first : " 1. Tail with white spots, bars, or patches." Our bird has no white in the tail, so we go to '• 2 " and read : '• Without large white spots or patches in the tail." There is no number 3, so we have no hesitation in placing our bird in Section '' 2." The first subsection here is " A. Back without distinct streaks." Our bird is unquestion- ably streaked, and we therefore go to " B. Back distinctly streaked." There is no Section O, and it follows that our bird belongs in '' B." Under B we have " a. Bend of the wing yellow " and '' h. Bend of the wing not yellow." Our bird has no yellow on the wing, and we therefore place it in subsection h. This subsection - is subdivided into " h^. Crown bright reddish brown," etc., " c\ Crown streaked or spotted," etc., and " d}. Crown mixed grayish brown and rufous, ashy, or slate-color, without black streaks." Evidently our bird belongs in the group headed d}, which we find includes four species, d^^ d^, d*, and d^. After reading the characters assigned to each of these, we have no hesitation in deciding that those under # apply to our bird, and we prove our identification by turning to the description of Passer domesticus. I have purposely taken a comparatively complicated case. If I have made it clear, you wilt- have no further difficulty in using the keys, so far as their construcfion goes. It might be supposed, from this somewhat lengthy description, that the process required much time ; but as you become familiar with the use of the keys it should never take you more than five minutes to identify a bird with them. Descriptions of Plumage. — The descriptions, with quoted excep- tions, are from specimens in the American Museum of Natural His- tory, and my thanks are due the authorities of that mstitution for permission to use its valuable collections. I have tried to make them as concise and simple and, at the same firae, as detailed as seemed necessary for the purpose of identification. I MEASUREMENTS— RANGE. 37 Measurements. — All the measurements given are in English inches and hundredths. Those of birds are average measurements, taken for the most part from specimens in the American Museum of Natural His- tory. I have also, with the authors permission, made use of the excellent series of measurements in Dr. E. A. Mearns's Birds of the Hudson Highlands. A variation of about ten per cent from the figures given may be expected. The total length (= L.) of a bird is found by gently stretching the specimen, laying it on its back, and measuring the distance from the end of its bill to the tip of its longest tail-feather. The length of the wing (= W.) is the distance from the "bend of the wing" to the end of the longest primary. The length of the tail (= T.) is the distance from the base, or insertion of the middle feather, to the end of the longest feather. The length of the tarsus (= Tar.) is the distance from the base, or insertion of the toes, to the end of the tibia, or what in reality is the heel. The " tarsus " is therefore the true foot of the bird, while the part to which this name is generally applied consists only of the toes. The length of the bill (= B.), or '• culmen," is the dis- tance from the anterior base of the feathers on the forehead to the tip of the upp^r mandible. With the exception of total length these measurements are gen- erally taken with a pair of dividers. Range. — The paragraphs under this heading have been prepared with special reference to the bird's dis- tribution in eastern North America. They are sup- plemented by a concise statement of the bird's manner of occurrence and the usual times of migration of the nonresident species at three or four localities. This information is the best it is possible to obtain, and has not been previously published. Each locality is treated by a recognized authority on its bird-life from notes based on observations extending over many years. The data from Washington, D. C, were supplied by Mr. C. W. Richmond, of the Smithsonian Institution. Not only has Mr. Richmond given years to field work in the District of Columbia, but he has had access to the notes of the numerous ornithologists who have observed in^the same r^g?bn. lO CO (M 38 LOCAL BIRD-LISTS. The water-birds of Long Island are treated by Mr. William Dutcher, of New York city, who has for years made our coast birds a subject of especial investigation. Sportsmen, lighthouse-keepers, and ornitholo- gists have all aided him in acquiring an unrivaled series of observa- tions upon the movements of waterfowl and bay birds. Dr. A. K. Fisher, of the Division of Ornithology in the U. S. De- partment of Agriculture, his supplied the notes from Sing Sing, N. Y. This locality formed the field of his ornithological labors for fifteen years. Within the limits of the town of Ossining Dr. Fisher has ob- served no less than two hundred and thirty-six species of birds. Prob- ably no area of similar extent in the United States has been more carefully studied or yielded better results. Cambridge, Mass., is historic ground in the annals of ornithology. From the time of Nuttall it has never lacked for earnest students of its bird-life. Nevertheless, no list of Cambridge birds has ever ap- peared. It is with unusual pleasure, therefore, that I include annota^ lions on the birds of this region by Mr. William Brewster, who has made a lifelong study of New England birds, and particularly of those found in the vicinity of his home at Cambridge.* The value of their contributions renders it evident that I am under deep obligations to these gentlemen, and I thank them most sincerely for their generous assistance. Nests and Eggs. — The brief descriptions of nests and eggs are Dased on the collections of the American Museum of Natural History, sup- plemented by the use of Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's History of North American Birds, Davie's Nests and Eggs of North American Birds, Ridgway's Manual, and Captain Bendire's Life Histories of North American Birds. In describing the eggs the color chart was used when possible ; but it was designed with particular reference to the plumages of our birds, and is of less assistance in describing their eggs. The measurements of eggs are mostly from series of measure- ments made by Mr. H. B. Bailey, accompanying the Bailey collection in the American Museum, supplemented by reference to the works men- tioned above. Biographies. — After devoting separate paragraphs to the bird's general range, its manner of occurrence, comparative numbers, times of migration at several specific points, and its nest and eggs, the space remaining is given to a brief sketch of its haunts, notes, and disposi- tion, with the particular object of aiding in its identification in the field. * strictly maritime birds whose occurrence within five miles of Cambridge is casual or accidental are, as a rule, excluded. h < I o on O -J o u BIOGRAPHIES— ILLUSTRATIONS. 39 In preparing these biographical sketches I have aimed to secure the best material possible, using my own notes only when I felt they were based on adequate observ'ations. Not only have 1 carefully ex- amined the literature relating to the habits of our birds, selecting what seemed to be the most trustworthy accounts of their appearance in life, but through the generous co-operation of fellow-students of living birds I am able to present character sketches of some of our birds, written by observers who are everywhere known for their sym- pathy with birds out-of-doors. Thus I have to thank Mrs. Miller, Miss Merriam, Mr. Bicknell, Mr. Brewster, Dr. D wight, Mr. Thomp- son, and Mr. Torrey for pen pictures of birds with which they are especially familiar, each sketch being signed by its author. Illustrations. — The colored frontispiece is by Mr. Ernest E. Thomp- son, whom I have to thank for assistance in preparing the color chart and Key to Families. The scheme of this key, which is founded on natural arrangement and on drawings of anatomical details, is original with him, and that here presented is a slight modification of the one he completed and contributed at a time when he was expected to be a joint author of this work. The numerous pen-and-ink drawings, which add so largely to the value of the work, were made by Mr. Tappan A-dney from specimens in the American Museum of Natural History. Some of the full-page half-tone plates are from photographs of groups in the American Museum of Natural History ; the larger number, how- ever, were especially designed for this work, with the assistance of Mr. J. Rowley, Jr. The Color Chart. — It must not be supposed for a moment that the colors on the Plate II. represent the colors of all the birds of eastern North America. It does not do so any more than an artist's palette shows all the colors of his picture — in fact, I have called this plate my mental palette, and have frequently used two and even three terms to describe a given shade or tint. It should be clearly understood, therefore, that when grayish brown, for example, is mentioned, it does not follow that the feathers to which the term is applied are of exactly the same color as the plate, but that they are nearer to this color than to any other in the plate. Used even in this general way, the plate will prove a far more definite basis for description than if every one were left to form his own idea of the colors named. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. Ad. Adult ; a fully matured bird. A. V. Accidental visitant (see page 12). B. Bill, from N. Bill from nostril. ? The sign employed to designate female sex (see page 27). Im. Immature; the term is generally applied to birds less than a year old, or to those which have not acquired the plumage of the adult. L. Total length. $ The sign employed to designate male sex (see page 27). P. R. Permanent resident (sec page 12). S. R. Summer resident (see page 12). T. Tail. Tar. Tarsus. T. V. Transient visitant (see page 12). W. Wing. W. V. Winter visitant (see page 12). 40 THE BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA EAST OF THE NINETIETH MERIDIAN. KEY TO ORDERS AND FAMILIES. THE WATER BIRDS. Fig. 5. Order I. Pygoppdes. — Grebes, Loons, and Auks. Ducklike birds with generally sharply pointed bills ; feet webbed, placed far back near the tail ; tarsus much liattened ; hind toe, when present, with a lobe or flap ; bill without toothlike projections ; tail very short and sometimes apparently wanting. A. Toes four, tipped with a broad nail. a. Toes with lobate webs. . . . Family Podicipidce, '. Grebes (Fig. 5, a), p. 56. h. Toes webbed. . . . Family UrmatoridcB: Loons (Fig. 5, 0), p. 58. -S. Toes three, tipped with a sharp nail. . . . Family AlcidcB: Auks, Murres, and Puffins (Fig. 5, c), p. 60; Jaegers, Order II. Loi^ipe^nes. Gulls, and Terns. Birds with sharply pointed and frequently hooked or hawklike bills ; toes four (ex- cept in one genus — Bissa), the front ones webbed ; wings long and pointed. 41 Fio 42 KEY TO FAMILIES. A. Tip of the upper mandible more or less swollen, rounded, and sharply pointed ; upper piirts, including wings, and sometimes the entire plumage, dark sooty blackish, sometimes irregularly barred ; tail always dark, the middle feathers longest. . . . Family ISterco- rariidce : Skuas and Jaegers (Fig. 6, a), p. 65. £. Upper mandible curved but not swollen at the end ; tail generally white, sometimes tipped with black ; the tail-feathers usually of abouc equal length. . . . Subfamily Larinte : Gulls (Fig. 6, ft), p. 67. Fig. 7. Fig. 8. C. Bill straight, not hooked and sharply pointed ; outer tail-feathers generally longer than the middle ones. Subfamily Sternince : Terns (Fig. 7), p. 76. D. Bill thin and bladelike, the lower mandible much longer than the upper one. . . . Family Bynchopidce,: Skimmers (Fig. 8), p. 85. Fig. 9. Order IH. Tul>inaf*es. — Albatrosses, Petrels, and Fulmars. Bill hawklike, the tip of the upper mandible generally much enlarged; nostrils opening through tubes; hind toe reduced to a mere nail, and sometimes entirely wanting. A. Size very large, nostrils separated and on either side oi the bill. . . . Family Diomedeidce : Albatrosses (Fig. 9, a), p. 86. B. Size smaller, nostrils joined and placed on top of the bill. . . . Family FroceUariidce : Petrels, Fulmars, and Shearwaters (Fig. 9, b), p. 86. KEY TO FAMILIES. 43 Fig. 11. Fig. 14. Fig. 10. Fig. 15. Order IV. SteganoiKMles.— Gannets, Cormorants, Pelicans (Fig, 10), etc. All the toes, including the hind one, connected by webs. A. Bill generally sharply pointed, without a hawklike hook at its tip. a. Chin, or space between the forks of the lower mandible, feath- ered. . . . Family Fkaethontidce: Tropic Birds (Fig. 11), p, 91. b. Chin bare. b^. Bill stout and slightly curved at the tip ; middle tail-feathers without '"fluting.s". . . . Family ISuUdce: Gannets (Fig. 12), p. 92. Ifl. Bill straight and slender; middle tail-feathers fluted. . . . Family Anhingidiv : Darters (Fig. 13), p. 93. £. Bill with a hawklike hook at the tip. a. Lores bare. a». Bill over 12*00, with a large pouch. Pelicans, p. 95. a?. Bill under 12*00, no large pouch. . cidce: Cormorants (Fig. 14), p. 94. b. Lores feathered. . . . Family Fregatldoe. : Man-o'-war Birds (Fig. 15), p. 97. . Family Pelecanidce : Family Phalacrocora- 44 KEY TO FAMILIES. Order V. Anseres. — Ducks, Geese, and Swaths. Toes four, the front ones fully webbed ; tarsus not strikingly flattened as in the Grebes; tail always well developed; bill with toothlike projec- tions, fluted ridges, or gutters along its sides. 1. Bill very long, narrow, and rounded, with numerous toothlike pro- jections along its sides. . . . Subfamily Mergincz : Mergaksebs (Fig. 16), p. 98. Fig. 16. 2. Bill more or less flattened and dueklike. A. Lores feathered. a. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe, without nail; scales on its front transverse, more or less square. aK Hind toe without a flap or lobe. . . . Subfamily Anatince: EivER Ducks (Fig. 17, a), p. 100. a'. Hind toe with a flap or lobe. . . . Subfamily Fuligulince; Sea and Bay Ducks (Fig. 17, 6), p. 107. Fig. 17. b. TarSus generally longer than the middle toe, without nail ; scales on its front rounded. . . . Subfamily Anserince: Geese, p. 119. £. Lores bare. . . . Subfamily Cygnince; Swans, p. 124. KEY TO FAMILIES. 45 -Flamingoes. Order VI. Odontoglossae. Large red or reddisli birds ; bill with tootlilike ridges as in some Ducks, the end half bent down- ward ; tarsus 12'00 or more in length, . . . Family PhcenicopteridcB : Fla- MIXGOES, p. 125. Order "VTI. Herodidnes.— Herons, Storks, Ibises, etc. Toes four, all on the same level, slightly or not at all webbed ; lores bare; legs and neck generally much lengthened. Fig. 20. Fig. 21. A. Bill straight and sharply pointed ; inner border of the middle toe- nail with a comblike edge. . . . Family Ardeidce : Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns (Fig. 19), p. 128. £. Bill rounded, more or less curved downward ; no comb on the mid- dle toe-nail. a. Size large, tarsus over 5*00. . . . Family Ciconiidce : Storks and Wood Ibises, p. 127. b. Size smaller, tarsus under 5-00. . . . Family Jbididx : Ibises (Fig. 20), p. 126. C Bill flattened and much broadened at the end. . . . Family Plata- leidce : Spoonbills (Fig. 21), p. 125. 46 KEY TO FAMILIES. Fig. 22. /. Order VHI, Paludicoloe.— Cranes, Rails, etc. Toes four; middle toe without a comb, generally not webbed; hind toe generally small, higher than the front ones, or, if on the same level (Gal- linules and Coots only), the bill is then comparatively short and stout and the forehead has a bare shield; lores feathered, or (Cranes) with hairlike bristles. Fig. 24. A. Smaller, bill under 8-00. . . . Family Pallida; : Rails, Gallinules, and Coots (Fig. 22), p. 139. £. Larger, bill over 8-00. a. Tarsus over 6-00. . . . Family Gruidce : Cranes (Fig. 23), p. 137. b. Tarsus under 6-00. . . . Family Aramidce : Courlans (Fig. 24), p. 138. KEY TO FAMILIES. 47 Order IX. Liimidblse.— Phalaropes, Snipes, Plovers, etc. Toes four, 01/ (Plovers) three; the hind toe, when present, less than half the length of the inner one, and always elevated above the others ; legs generally long and slender, the lower half of the tibiae bare; bill, except in the Plovers, generally long, slender, and soft, the nostrils opening through slits or grooves ; wings long and pointed, the first primary gen- erally the longest. Fig. 26. Family Recur virostridoe, : Stilts and Avocets, I. Tarsus over 3-50. p. 149. II. Tarsus under 3-50. A. Sidesof the toes with lobes or webs. . , . Family Fhalaropodidce: Phalaropes (Fig. 26, a), p. 147. £. Sides of the toes without lobed webs. a. Toes four (except in the Sauderling) ; front of the tarsus with transverse, more or less square, scales. . . . Family Scolopacidoe : Snipes, Sandpipers, etc. (Fig. 25, a, b ; Fig. 26, i, c), p. 150. b. Whole lower back white, a black band across the rump. . . . Family Aphrizidm : Turnstones, etc., p. 176. c. Toes three (except in the Black-bellied Plover) ; front of the tarsus with small, rounded scales. ci. Bill under 2-00. . . . Family Charadriidcz : Plovers (Fig. 25, c.d\ Fig. 26, <^, e), p. 171. c3. Bill over iVOO. . . , Family Hixmatopodidce, : Oyster-catchers, p. 177. 48 KEY TO FAMILIES. THE LAND BIRDS. Order X. Ga^Jinae.— Turkeys, Grouse, Bob-whites, etc, Toes four, the hind one small and elevated above the front ones ; bill generally short, stout, hard, and horny ; wings rather short, the outer primaries curved and much stiffened. A. Size very large. . . . Subfamily ritKje : Turkeys, p. 186. £. Size smaller. . . , Family Tetraonidce: Grouse, Bob-whites, etc. (Fig. 27), p. 178. Fig. 27. Order XI. Co^umbaB.— Pigeons and Doves. Toes four, all on the same level, the hind one about as long as the shortest front one; bill rather slender, deeply grooved, the nostrils open- ing in a soft, lieshy membrane or skin. . . . Family Columbidce : Pigeons and Doves (Fig. 28), p. 187. Fig. 28. Order XII. Raptores. — Vultures, Hawks, and Owls. Toes four, three in front, the hind one, except in the Vultures, generally as long as or longer than the shortest front one ; all the toes armed with strong, sharp, curved nails or talons ; bill with a cere, or covering of skin, at its base, through which the nostrils open, very stout and strong, the tip of the upper mandible with a sharply pointed hook. Fig. 30. A. Eyes set in a striking facial disk ; tarsus generally feathered ; plum age soft and tiuffy. KEY TO FAMILIES. 49 a. Middle toe-nail with a comblike edge. . . . Family Strigidce : Barn Owls (Fig. 30), p. 213. b. Middle toe-nail without a comblike edge. . . . Family Buhonidce : Horned Owls, Hoot Owls (Fig. 29, a), p. 213. Fig. 32. Fio. 33. B. Eyes not set in a striking facial disk ; tarsus mostly bare, plumage firm and close. a. Plumage, in our species, black ; hind toe small, claws blunt ; bill not sharply hooked ; head generally bare. . . . Family Cathartidoe : American Vultures (Fig. 32), p. 191. b. Hind toe generally as long as or longer than the shortest front one ; toes armed with sharp, curved nails or talons ; bill with a sharp hook, head not bare. . . . Family Falconidce: Falcons, Kites, Hawks, Eagles (Figs. 29, b, 33), etc., p. 193. Order XHI. Psitcaci. Parrots, Paroquets, etc. Toes four, two in front and two behind ; bill with a cere. . . . Family Psittacidoe, : Par- rots and Paroquets (Fig. 34), p. 222. Fig. 34. Order XIV. Coccyges.— Cuckoos and Kingfishers. Toes four, the middle and outer ones joined for half their length (Kingfishers), or two in front and two behind (Cuckoos) ; bill without a cere; tail-feathers not stiif and pointed. 5 50 KEY TO FAMILIES. A. Middle and outer toes joined for half their length, . . . Family Al- cedinidce : Kingfishers (Fig. SC>), p. 226. B. Two toes in front and two behind. . . . Family Cuculidce : CucKooa (Fig. 36), p. 224. Fig. 37. vdrder XV. Pici.— Woodpeckers. Toes four, two in front and two behind, or toes three, two in front and one behind ; bill strong ; tail-feathers stiff and pointed ; nostrils more or less concealed by bristles. . . . Family Picidae: Woodpeckers (Fig. 37), p. 227. Fig. 38.. Macrochires. Fig. 40. Order XVI. Macrochires.— Goatsuckers, Swifts, and Hummingbirds. Feet very small and weak ; bill short and small and mouth large, or bill long and exceedingly slender and mouth small ; wings generally long and pointed. A. Size comparatively large; plumage variegated, black and brown; . middle toe-nail with a comblike edge. . . . Family Caprimulgidce : NiGHTHAWKS, Whip-poor-wills, ctc. (Fig. 38), p. 236. £. Size medium; plumage sooty black; no comb on the middle toe- nail ; tips of the tail-feathers with spines. . . . Family MicrojoodidcB : Swifts (Fig. 39), p. 239. O. Size very small ; upper parts shining green ; bill long and slender. . . . Family Trochilidce: Hummingbirds (Fig. 40), p. 240, KEY TO FAMILIES. 51 Order XVH. Pai^qres.— Perching Birds: Flycatch- ers, Blackbirds, Jays, Orioles, Sparrows, Finches, Swallows, Vireos, Warblers, Wrens, Thrushes, etc. Toes four, without webs, all on the same level ; hind toe as large as the middle one, its nail generally longer than that of the middle one; tail of twelve feathers, [The following synoptical table of the characters of the eighteen families which we have in this order seems more satis- factory than an artilicial — " T^^^^*^^^/" key,] .^..^ '' -* ^^*^ Fig. 41. Family 1. Tyrannidce. — Flycatchers (Fig. 42). Bill wider than high at the base, slightly hooked at the tip ; base with conspicuous bristles; wings longer than the tail, the second to fourth primaries longest, the first but little shorter and generally equal to the fifth or sixth ; back of tarsus rounded^ like the front ; plumage generally olive-green or grayish ; tail, except in the King- bird, without white spots, p. 242. Family 2. Alaudidce. — Larks (Fig. 43). Bill rather stout and rounded ; nos- ,-^ trils with bristly tufts ; nail of hind toe much lengthened, as long as the middle toe without nail ; back of the tarsus rounded like the front, p. 252. Fig. 43. Family 3. Corvidce,. — Crows and Jays (Fig. 44). Large birds, over 10-00 in length ; bill stout, the nostrils concealed by tufts of bristly feathers ; fourth to fifth primary the longest, the first about half as long ; outer tail-feathers shortest ; feet and legs stout, p. 253. 52 KEY TO FAMILIES. Fig. 45. Family 4, Sturnidce. — Star- lings (Fig. 45). Bill flattened, wider tlian high at the base ; tail short and square; wings long and pointed, second pri- mary longest, the first very small, less than half an inch in length, p. 259. Family 5. Icteridce. — Blackbirds, Orioj^es, etc. (Fig. 46). Length 7'00-17'00 ; base of the bill, bcf^ween the nostrils, extending back- ward and dividing the feathers of the forehead ; nostrils not concealed by bristles ; first three primaries of about equal length ; outer tail-feathers generally shortest, p. 260. Fig. 47. Family 6. Fringillidae.—^PXR- Rows, Finches, Gros- beaks, etc. (Fig. 47). Length 4-75-9-00, generally under 8"00 ; bill short, stout, and conical, admirably fit- ted to crush seeds ; third and fourth primaries gen- erally about the same length, the first never more than half an inch shorter than the longest, p. 271. Family 7. Tanagridm. — Tanagers (Fig. 48). Length about 7'00 ; the males of our species mostly red ; bill flnchlike, but less conical, somewhat swollen, the outline of the upper mandible curved, its sides with a slight but generally evident " tooth " near the middle ; tail-feathers of equal length, p. 316. 57- / Fig. 48. KEY TO FAMILIES. 53 Family 8. Hirundinidoe. — Swallows (Fig. 49), Bill short and flattened, much wider than high at the base ; no bristles at the base of the bill ; wings long and pointed, tips, when closed, generally reaching beyond the end of the tail ; flrst primary the longest ; outer tail- feathers longest^; feet small, tarsus short, round in front, narrower and sharper in the back, p. 318. Fig. 49. Family 9. Ampelidoi. — Waxwings (Fig. 50). Plumage generally soft, brownish gray or grayish brown ; a black band across the forehead and through the eyes ; tail tipped with yellow; bill short, notched at the tip; head conspicuously crested, p. 323. Family 10. Laniidce. — ShpvIkes (Fig. 51). Grayish birds, 8-00-9-00 in length, most of the tail-feathers tipped with white; bill hooked and hawklike, p. 325. Family 11. Vireonidce. — Vireos (Fig. 52) Small birds, 5-00- 7*00 in length, with generally olive- green backs ; tail- feathers without white spots ; bill rather stout, higher than broad at the base, the tip of the upper mandible notched and hooked, bristles at the base of the bill barely evident ; tarsi scaled, round in front, narrower and sharper behind; toes united at the base, p. 327. Family 12. Mniotiltida,. — Wood War- blers (Fig. 53). Small birds, length generally under 6-00, but in four species 6-50-7-50, with, as a rule, brightly colored Fig. 52. 54 KEY TO FAMILIES. plumage, olive-green or yellow being the most frequent ; bill various, never notched at the tip, usually slender and sharply pointed, without conspicuous bristles, but sometimes Hattened and broader than high at the base, when the bristles are evident (thus resembling the bill of a true Flycatcher, but the back of the tarsus is always tJiin and narrow, and never rounded as in front); rarely the bill is heavier, more thrushlike orlinchlike; second or third primary longest, the first little if any shorter; tail generally square, sometimes rounded, the outer feathers frequently blotched with white, p. 333. Family 13. Motacillidce. — Wagtails and Pipits (Fig. 54). No bristles over the nostrils; bill slender, much as in the preceding ; hind toe-nail much lengthened, as long as or longer than the toe ; first three primaries of equal length, p. 375. Family 14. Troglodytidee. — Thrash- ers, Wrens, etc. (Fig. 55). Subfamily Mimince. — Thrashers, Mockingbirds, and Catbirds. Length 8-00-1 2*00; tarsus scaled; tail rounded, the outer feathers at least half an inch shorter than the middle ones, third to fifth primary longest, the first about half as long, p. 376. Subfamily Troglodytinae. — Wrens. Length 4-00-6-00; bill moderate, the upper mandible slightly curved, no bristles at its base; third to fourth primary longest, first about half as long ; tail short and round- ed ; brown or brownish birds with indistinctly barred wings and tail, p. 376. Fig. .55. Family 15. CertJiiidae. — Creepers (Fig. 56). Bill slender and much curved ; tail- feathers pointed and slightly stiffened, p. 385. Fig. 56. KEY TO FAMILIES. 55 family 16. Paridce. — Nuthatches and Titmice (Fig. 57). Subfamily Sittince. — Nuthatches. Bill rather long and slender, the end of the lower mandible slightly upward; wings long and pointed, the third or fourth primary the longest, the first very small, not an inch in length ; tail sho.'i; and square, the outer feathers blotched with white, p. 386. Subfamily PariiKz. — Titmice. Length 4-50-6-50 ; bill short, stout, and rounded, less than half an inch in length ; fourth or fifth primary longest, first very short, not more than one third as long; tail rather long, dull ashy gray without white blotches, p. 389. Fig. 57. Family 17. 5yZ«;M^<:B. — Kinglets and Gnatcatchers (Fig. 58). Length 3-50-5-00; bill slender, re- sembling that of some Warblers, but the first primary is very short, only about one third as long as the longest, p. 391. Family 18. Turdidoe. — Thrushes, Bluebirds, etc. (Fig. 59). Length over 5*50 ; bill mod- erate, the tip of the upper mandible notched ; tarsus smooth, the scales, if any, fused and indistinct; tail square : wings long and pointed, 3-75 or over, third primary the longest, the first very short, less than one inch in length, p. 394. Fio. 50. 56 GREBES. ORDER PYGOPODES. DIVING BIRDS. Family Podicipid^. Grebes. The Grebes, or lobe-footed divers, number about thirty species, distributed throughout the world. Six species are found in North America. Grebes are eminently aquatic birds, and rarely if ever ven- ture upon land, where they are almost helpless. The marvelous rapid- ity with which Grebes dive, and the ease with which this power for- merly enabled them to escape the shot of the fowler, have won for them their various popular names of " Hell-diver," " Water-witch," etc. The cartridges of the modern breech-loader do not give the warning of the discarded flint-lock or percussion cap, and " to dive at the flash " is an expression which now has lost half its meaning. Grebes possess the power of swimming with only the tip of the bill above water, a habit which accounts for many mysterious disappearances. They feed largely on fish, which they pursue and catch under water, progressing by aid of the feet alone. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Depth of bill at nostril over -35. a. Wing over 6-00 2. Holbcell's Geebe. b. Wing under 6*00 6. Pied-billed Grebe. £. Depth of bill at nostril less than -35 3. Horned Grebe. 2» Colymbus holbCBllii (Beinh.). Holbcell's Grebe. Ad. in sum- mer.— Top of the head, small crest, and back of the neck, glossy black ; back blackish ; throat and sides of the head silvery white ; front and sides of the neck rufous, changing gradually over the breast into the silvery white belly ; sides tinged with rufous. Ad. in winter. — Upper parts blackish brown : throat and under parts whitish ; front and sides of the neck pale rufous. Im. — Upper parts blackish ; throat and under parts silvery white ; neck and sides grayish. L., 19-00; W., 7-50; Tar., 2-20 ; B., 1-90. Range. — Breeds in the interior of North America, from northern Minne- sota northward ; in winter migrates southward as far as South Carolina and Nebraska. Washington, uncommon W. V., Sept. 30 to Mch. or Apl. Long Island irregular W. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. to Dec. Cam- bridge, casual. Ne^t.^ amass of water-soaked, decaying vegetation floating among rushes in a slough, generally attached to its surroundings. Eggs.^ two to five, dull white, more or less soiled, 2'25 x 1-35. '• In common with others of the family, this Grebe is an expert diver. Often it will sink into the water without any apparent effort, though more generally it jumps forward, throwing the head into the Pi ED-BILLED GrEBE AND YOUNG. GREBES. 57 water and the body into the air. It is an expert and rapid swimmer also, and all its movements on the water are exceedingly graceful. When pursued, these birds invariably endeavor to escape by diving, though when on the wing they fly rapidly, their necks and feet stretched at fiill length " (Chamberlain). 3* Colymbus a>uritus Linn. Horned Grebe. Ad. in swnmer. — Top of the heud, hind ueck, and throat, glossy blackish; lores pale chestnut; stripe, and plumes behind the eye, butfy ochraceous, deeper posteriorly ; back and wings blackish ; secondaries white ; foreneck, upper breast, and sides chestnut; lower breast and belly white. Ad. in winter and Im. — Upper parts grayish black ; under parts silvery white, sometimes washed with grayish ou the throat and breast. L., 13-50 ; W., 5-40 ; Tar., 1-75 ; B., 90. Range. — Breeds from northern United States (northern Illinois, St. Clair Flats) northward ; winters southward to the Gulf States. Washington, common W. V., fall to Apl. 25. Long Island, abundant T. v., rare W. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Oct. to Dec. ; Mch. Cambridge, casual. Nest^ a mass of water-soaked, decaying vegetation, floating among rushes in a slough, generally attached to its surroundings. E' Coast and islands of the North Atlantic, chiefly northward. South to Spain and Massachusetts. Apparently rare off the coast of North America" (A. 0. U.). Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest, on rocky cliffs. Eggs, two, pale olive-brown or greenish gray spot- ted with chocolate, 2-80 x 1-90. 36. Stercorarius pomarinus ( r^wzT/?.). Pomarine Jaeger. Ad., light phme.—Y (ivy similar in color to corresponding phase of S. parasiticus, but with the upper parts darker, nearly black. Ad., darlc phase and Im.— Similar in color to corresponding stages of S. parasiticus. L., 22-00 ; W., 13-50; T., Ad., 8-00, Im., 5-40 ; Tar., 2-00 ; B., 1-55. Remarks.— 1:\).\9, species is to be distinguished from the two following bj its larger size and the rounded ends of its central tail-feathers. Range.— '■'• Eesident during the summer in high northern latitudes, chiefly within the Arctic Circle, and extending from Siberia.in eastern Asia entirely around the zone " (B., B., and R.). Migrates southward along the Atlantic 6 QQ JAEGERS AND SKUAS. coast, and more rarely through the Great Lakes, and winters from Long Island southward. Long Island, regular from June 15 to Oct. 30. Sing Sing, A. V. J\'est^ on the ground. £(/gs^ two to three, deep olive-drab sparingly spot- ted with slate color, and light and dark raw-umber markings and black dots, chiefly at the larger end, where they become confluent, 2*25 x 1-70 (Brewer). 37. Stercorarius parasiticus {Linn,). Parasitic Jaeger (see Fig. 6, a). Ad.., li(jht phase. — Back, wings, and tail slaty fuscous ; top of the head and lores nearly black ; sides of the head and back of the neck straw- yellow, this color sometimes spreading down the sides of the neck and on the throat; breast and belly white; sides of the breast, flanks, lower belly, and crissum slaty fuscous ; tarsi and feet (in dried specimens) black ; middle tail-feathers pointed and extending about 3-00 beyond the others. Ad.., dark 2>ha^e. — Entire plumage dark, slaty brown, darker on the top of the head; under parts slightly lighter ; sometimes a trace of straw-yellow on the sides and back of the neck ; tarsi, feet, and tail as in the preceding, /w., light phase. — Upper parts, wings, and tail fuscous ; the feathers of the back, neck, and head more or less bordered, tipped, or barred with bufty ; hind-neck and head sometimes buff"y, streaked or barred with fuscous, and varying from this color to plain fuscous; longer, lateral upper tail-coverts barred with bufty ; tail bufty, whitish at the base ; under wing-coverts barred with butfy ; under parts white, washed with bufty, and irregularly barred with sooty fuscous; these bars sometimes very numerous when the under parts looked as if washed with sooty fuscous ; again, they may be less numerous and con- fined to the breast and sides, leaving the belly w^hite; central tail-feathers pointed, projecting more or less beyond the rest, /m., darlc phase. — Sooty fus- cous, the feathers, particularly on the under parts, more or less marked with ochraceous-buff'. L., 17-00'; W., 13-00: T., Ad., 8-60, Im., 6-40; B., 1-15. BemarJcs. — This species closely resembles ti. longicaudus. Adults of both species, wdiether in the dark or light phase of plumage, may always be dis- tinguished from each other by the diff'erence in the length of their central tail-feathers, in addition to the characters given in the key. Young birds can not be distinguished by color, but may be identified by the dift"erences in relative proportions of the bill. Range. — " Northern parts of the northern hemisphere, southward in win- ter to South Africa and South America" (A. O. U.). In America breeds in the Barren Grounds and Greenland ; migrates southward through the Great Lakes and along the Atlantic coasts, and winters from the Middle States southward. Long Island, regular from June 15 to Oct. 30. Nest., on the moors or tundras, a slight depression in the ground scantily lined with grasses, etc., or on rocks by the sea. Eggs., two to four, light olive- brown, with frequently a strong greenish tinge and chocolate markings, more numerous and sometimes confluent at the larger end, 2-25 x 1-65. 38. Stercorarius longicaudus Vieill. Long-tailed Jaeger. Ad., liglit phase. — Back, winirs, and tail slaty fuscous; top of head and lores nearly black; sides of the hpad, back and sides of the neck straw-yellow; GULLS. 67 throat sometimes wasAed with the same color; under parts white; sides, lower belly, and crissum slaty fuscous; central tail-feathers extending about 7"00 beyond the others, the projecting ends narrow and pointed. (JS'o dark phase of this species has been described.) Im. — Similar in plumage to im. of aS- parasiticus^ but differing otherwise as pointed out under that species. L., 21-00; W., 12-50; T., Ad., 12-00, Im., 5-50; B., 1-08. Range. — Northern part of the northern hemisphere; in America nests in Greenland and quite abundantly " along the Anderson, in the ' Barrens,' and also on the arctic coast" (Macfarlane) ; migi-ates southward along the coasts, and rarely through the Great Lakes, to the Gulf of Mexico and West Indies. Xest, a slight depression in the ground, sometimes scantily lined with grasses. Eggs., two to three, similar in color to those of the preceding, 2-10 X 1-50. Family Larid^. Gulls and Terns. This- family contains about one hundred species divided equally between the subfamily LarincB (Gulls) and subfamily Sternince (Terns). They are distributed throughout the w^orld. Some forty species in- habit North America. With few exceptions they agree in possessing the marked characters of their respective subfamilies, under which they may be more conveniently treated. Subfamily LarincE. Gulls. Generally s})eaking. Gulls are maritime and pelagic, though some species are found inland. As compared with Terns, Gulls are less graceful and active on the wing. In flight the bill points forward in the plane of the body, not downward toward the earth, as in the Terns. They procure their food largely by picking it from the surface of the water or land with their strongly hooked bills, not by plunging or darting, as do the Terns. Some of the species are true birds of prey, and feed on small mammals and the eggs and young of other birds. Gulls are better swimmers than Terns, and pass much time resting on the water. They nest in colonies, generally on the ground, sometimes on rocky ledges, and rarely in trees. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing over 15-00. A. Back dark slaty black 47. Black-backed Gull. B. Back pearl-gray. a. Outer primaries marked with' black. 51a. Am. Herring Gull. 51. Herring Gull. h. Xo black on primaries. b^. Bill under 2-00. Ifl. Primaries light pearl-gray, fading gradually into white at their tips . 43. Iceland Gull. 68 GULI.S. ft3. Primaries pearl-gray, tipped with white, and with well-defined gray spaces on the outer webs of the two outer primaries and on both webs of the third and fourth primaries. 45. Kumlien's Gull. ci. Bill over 2-00 42. Glaucous Gull. C. Back grayish, whitish, or brownish, or mottled or spotted with gray- ish or brownish. a. Tail black or blackish, with or without irregular white markings. a>. Wing over 17'50 ; depth of bill at nostril over -70. 47. Black-backed Gull (Im.). a2. Wing under 17'50 ; depth of bill at nostril under -70. 51a. Am. Herring Gull (Im.). 51. Herring Gull (Im.). b. Tail white or whitish or grayish brown, with or without black markings. Ji. Bill under 2*00 43. Iceland Gull (Im.). ^2. Bill over 2*00 42. Glaucous Gull (Im.). II. Wing under 15-00. 1. Tail pure white. A. Head and throat slaty black. a. Outer primary black or mostly black. a>. Outel' primary entirely black .... 58. Laughing Gull. a3. Inner half of inner webs of first primary white. 62. Sabine's Gull. b. Outer primary mostly white. U. Tip of first primary white 59. Franklin's Gull. J3. Tip of first primary black 60. Bonaparte's Gull. B. Head white, sometimes washed with pearl-gray. a. Wings white 39. Ivory Gull. b. Primaries with more or less black. 61. Wing over 1100. J2. Hind toe very small, without a nail ... 40. Kittiwake. ^3. Hind toe normal, with a nail . , . .54. Eing-billed Gull. c^. Wing under ll'OO 61. Eoss's Gull. 2. Tail marked with black. A. Wing over 13-25. a. Primaries mostly white 39. Ivory Gull (Im.). I. Primaries black or mostly black . 54. Eing-billed Gull (Im.), B. Wing under 13-25. a. Hind toe very small, without a nail . . • . 40. Kittiwake (Im.). b. Hind toe normal, with a nail. ^1. Tarsus 1-50 or over 58. Laughing Gull (Im.). c^. Tarsus under 1-50. ^•2. Secondaries pearl color, tail square. 60. Bonaparte's Gull (Im.). c9. Secondaries mostly white, tail rounded. 61. Eoss's Gull (Im.). 39. Gavia alba {Gunn.). Ivory Gull. Ad. — Entire plumage pure white; bill yellow, feet black, /w.— Similar to ad., but the wing and tail GULLS. 69 feathers, and sometimes the wing-coverts, with a black spot at their tips. L., 17-00; W., 13-25; T., 5-50; B., 1-35. Range. — "Arctic seas, south in Avinter on the Atlantic coast of Korth America to Labrador and Newfoundland, casually to New Brunswick, and on the Pacific side to Bering Sea " (A. 0. U.). Long Island, A, V., one record. Nest.^ of grass, moss, and feathers on rocky cliffs. Eggs., light yellowish olive, marked with small blotches of brown and larger cloudings of lilac, 2-45 X 1-70 (Brewer). " The Ivory Gulls appear to spend most of the time amid the pack- ice, often at a long distance from land'' (Chamberlain). Fig. 60— First primaries of adult Gulls, seen from below: {a) Am. Herring Gull : (&) Ring-billed Gull ; (c) Laughing Gull ; (d) Franklin's Gull ; (e) Bona- parte's Gull. 40. Rissa tridacty la (Z* ««..). Kittiwake. Ad.in mmmer.—Y^^oA^ neck, tail, and under parts pure white; back and wings pearl-gray; outer web of first primary and 3-00 of the ends of first and second primaries black ; 70 GULLS. third to fifth primaries black at the ends and with white tips ; hind toe very small, a mere knob tvithout a nail ; bill yellowish, feet black. Ad. in winter. — Similar to above, but the top of the head and back of the neck washed with pearl-gray, and a dark spot about the eye. Im. — Similar to winter adults, but with the back of the neck, lesser wing-coverts, and part of the tertials black ; tail, except outer pair of feathers, with a black band at its tip ; four outer primaries black, except the inner half or more of their inner webs ; fifth and sixth tipped with black and white; bill black, feet yellowish. L., 16-00; W., 12-00; T., 4-50; B., 1-30. liernarks. — This species can always be distinguished by the small size of the hind toe. Eange. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in America, breed- ing commonly from the Magdalen Islands northward, and wintering as far south as the Great Lakes in the interior, and, on the coast, commonly to Long Island, and rarely to Virginia. Long Island, common T. V., a few winter, Nov. to Mch. Hest^ of grass, moss, and seaweed on the ledges of rocky cliffs. Eggs., three to four, varying from shades of buffy to grayish brown, distinctly and obscurely marked with chocolate, 2-25 x 1-60. " Our bird differs but little in its habits from other oceanic Gulls. Feeding chiefly on fish, but accepting any diet that drifts within range of its keen sight ; drinking salt water in preference to fresh ; breasting a gale with ease and grace — soaring in midair, skimming close above the crested waves, or swooping into the trough for a coveted morsel ; resting upon the rolling billows, and sleeping serenely as they roll, with head tucked snugly under a wing; wandering in loose flocks, and making comrades of other wanderers : devoted to mate and young, and attached to all its kin — wherever seen or however employed, the Kittiwake is revealed as a typical gleaner of the sea. " The name is derived from the bird's singular cry, which resembles the syllables Mtti-aa, Mtti-aa'" (Chamberlain). 42. Larus glaucus Brunn. Glaucous Gull; Burgomasteu. Ad. m swnwm— Back and wings pale pearl -gray; primaries lightly tinted with pearl, inner half of their inner webs and tips fading gradually into white; rest of the plumage pure white. Ad. in m« if ^n— Similar to the above, but with the head and neck lightly streaked with grayish, /m.— Upper parts varying from ashy gray to white, the feathers widely barred, mottled, or streaked with buffy or ashy gray ; primaries varying from pale smoky gray to pure white; tail ashy or brownish gray; under parts varying from dirty whitish to ashy gray, generally darker on the belly, sometimes mottled with buffy or grayish. (Birds of the second year are said to be pure white.) L., 28-00; W., 17-10; B., 2-35; depth of B. at projection on the lower mandible, •75 to 1-00; Tar., 2-ri0. Ji>(^/,j^^._]Siorthorn parts of the northern hemisphere; in North America breeding commonly froui soutlicrn Labrador northward and migrating south- ward to the Great Lakes and Long Island. GULLS. 71 Long Island, irregular W, V. Nest^ of grasses, moss, etc., on the ground. Eggs^ two to three, varying from pale olive- brown to grayish white, spotted or speckled with shades of chocolate, 3-10 x 2-20. Mr. Chamberlain remarks that this species combines " with some gull-like traits many of the coarse characteristics of both Falcon and Vulture." " Some observers have reported that flocks are at times very noisy, particularly when settling for the night ; but those I have met with in winter have been rather silent. Their cry is harsh and at times very loud ; it sounds something like the syllables kuk-lak. 1 have seen it written cuf-Jeek.'' 43. Larus leucopterus Faber. Iceland Gull. Kesembles the preceding species in color, but generally is much smaller ; specimens occur, however, wliich appear to be intermediate. W., 15-40-1.6-50 ; B., 1-65-1-90; depth of B. at projection on the lower mandible, -(JO-'TO; Tar., 2-05-2-20 (B., B., and K.). Range. — Arctic regions ; in North America migrates south in winter, rarely to Long Island. Long Island, A. V. in winter. Xest^ of grasses, moss, etc., on the ground. Eggs., clay-color with numerous chocolate markings, 2-79 x 1-89. "The flight of the Iceland Gull, its feeding habits. and its manners generally, suggest a close affinity to the Herring Gull rather than to the Burgomaster" (Chamberlain). 45. liams kumlieni Brewst. Kumlien's Gull. Very similar in gen- eral color to the two preceding species, but differs from them in the color of the primaries. These, instead of being uniformly pure white or but lightly tinted with gray, are marked with sharply defined spaces of ashy gray. The first primary is tipped with white and marked with ashy gray on the outer web and shaft part of the inner web ; the second primary is ashy gray on only part of the outer web; the third and fourth primaries have smaller white tips and are marked with ashy gray near their ends on both webs. W., 15-50- 17'00 ; B., 1-G5-1-88 ; depth of B. at projection on the lower mandible, -GO-ee ; Tar., 2-10-2-35 (Brewster). Eange.—l^oxth. Atlantic coast of North America; south in winter to Massachusetts. JS'est., on " the shelving rocks of high cliffs." •' Mr. Kumlien found this bird breeding in considerable numbers near the head of Cumberland Gulf," but, owing to the difficulty of distinguishing immature specimens from those of L. leucojjterus, its status on our coast in winter is not clearly determined. 47. Larus marinus Linn. Great BLACK-BACKEn Gull; Saddle- back. Ad. in su)/i/jier.— Back and wings slaty black; wing-feathers tipped Y2 GULLS. with white ; rest of plumage white ; tail sometimes mottled with dusky. Ad. in winter. — Similar to the above, but with the head and neck streaked with grayish. Im. — Head and nape whitish, streaked with grayish ; back and wings, except primaries, brownish, the feathers margined and irregularly marked with pale bufty ; primaries dark brownish black, the inner ones Avith small white tips; tail mottled with black and white; under parts whitish, more or less streaked or barred with grayish, L., 29-00; W., 18-50; T., 8-00; B., 2-50. Bange. — I^orth Atlantic ; breeds in North America from the Bay of Fundy northward ; migrates southward in winter regularly to the Great Lakes and Virginia, and less frequently to South Carolina. Long Island, conunon W, V,, Sept. to Apl. A'e6^, of grasses, seaweed, etc., on the ground. Eggs^ two to three, clay- color, brownish ashy or butfy, rather evenly spotted with chocolate, 3-00 x 2-15. A more northern species than the Herring Gull. Mr. Brewster, who observed it in numbers in the island of Anticosti in July, writes : " The Black-backs are exceedingly noisy birds, especially when their young are in danger, as well as toward evening. ... I identified four distinct cries : a braying ha-ha-lia, a deep keow, keow, a short barking note, and a long-drawn groan, very loud and decidedly impressive. . . . At all times of the year, during the breeding season as well as in win- ter, it is by far the wariest bird that I have ever met." The Siberian Gull {50. Lams ajfinis) — a large Gull inhabiting north- ern Asia — is sometimes found in Greenland. 51a. Larus arg-entatus smithsonianus Coues. American Hek- RiNG Gull. Ad. in summer. — Back and wings deep pearl-gray; first primary tipped with white, then crossed by a small black mark, then a much larger white one ; this is followed by a black space ; the black runs down the outer web of the feather to near its base and the shaft part of the inner web nearly as far, leaving the inner two thirds of the web below the black mark white (Fig. 60, a) ; the second primary is similar, but the second white mark is a round spot on the injirfer web and the black occupies a greater space near the tip, but does not continue so far down on the feather; the third to sixth primaries are tipped with white, which is succeeded by a gradually dimin- ishing black band which extends farther down on the outer web of the feather than on the inner; the rest of the plumage is pure white. Ad. in winter. — Similar to the above, but with the head and neck streaked or spotted with grayish, /m. — Upper parts ashy fuscous ; head and nape more or less streaked with pale buffy ; back and wings margined or irregularly marked with the same color : primaries brownish black ; tail the same, sometimes tipped or margined with buflfy ; under parts ashy fuscous, sometimes lightly baired or streaked. L., 24-00 ; W., 17-50 ; T., V-50 ; B., 2-30. Range. — "North America generally, breeding on the Atlantic coast from Maine northward " (A. O. U.). In the interior breeds from Minnesota north- ward ; winters from Nova Scotia to Cuba. GULLS. 73 Washington, common W. V., Oct. to Mch. Long Island, abundant W. V., Sept. to May, a few in summer. Sing Sing, common T. V., Sept. 21 to May 9; common \V. Y. when river is open. Cambridge, abundant W. V., Nov. to Aph i\es^, of grasses, moss, seaweed, etc., on the ground, but, where the birds have been persistently robbed, it is more compactly built and placed in trees, sometimes fifty feet or more from the ground. Eggs^ two to three, grayish olive-brown, rarely whitish, spotted, blotched, and scrawled with distinct and obscure chocolate markings, 2*85 x 1-90, This species is by far the most abundant winter Gull along the coasts of the Middle and Southern States. Unlike the more pelagic species, it frequents our rivers and harbors, feeding about piers and wharves, and near the cities showing comparatively little fear of man. Sometimes one may see them "bedded" in flocks on the water, where they alight to rest. It is generally this species which follows in the wake of our coastwise vessels, sailing astern, when the wind is from ahead, without the slightest perceptible movement of the wings. (For an interesting life-history of the Herring Gull see Mackay, Auk, ix, 1892, pp. 221-228.) The European Herring Gull (51. Larus argentatus) differs from our epecies in being slightly smaller and in having the two white spaces at the tip of the first primary joined, the black spot, therefore, being broken or entirely absent. It is of rare occurrence on the Atlantic coast of North America. 54. Larus delawarensis Orel. Ring-billed Gull. Ad. in sum- mer. — Back and wings pearl-gray ; first primary black, with a white spot near the tip, the base of the inner half of the inner web pearl-gray (Fig. 60, b) ; second primary black, the basal half of the inner web pearl-gray ; on the third to sixth primaries the black decreases rapidly, and each one is tipped with white ; rest of the plumage pure white ; bill greenish yellow with a black band in front of the nostril. Ad. in- winter. — Similar to the above, but the head and nape streaked with grayish, hn. — Upper parts varying from ashy fuscous, the feathers margined with whitish, to pearl-gray, the feathers more or less mottled, spotted, or, on the head and neck, streaked with ashy fus- cous ; outer primaries black, tail varying from pearl-gray, more or less mottled with blackish, to white, and crossed near the end by a wide band of black ; basal half of the bill yellowish, end black. L., 18-50 ; W., 14-00 ; T., 6-00 ; B., 1-60. Range. — North America, more common in the interior ; breeds from southern Minnesota and Newfoundland northward ; winters from Long Island to Cuba and Mexico. Washington, very common T. V., Feb. to Apl. 5 ; (Jet. to Nov. ; rare in winter. Long Island, common W. V., Aug. to Apl. Sing Sing, casual T. V. Ne^t^ of grasses, etc., on the ground. Eggs, two to three, clay-color, bufly, or whitish, rather evenly spotted with chocolate, 2-30 x 1-65. 74 GULLS. The coast-inhabiting individuals of this species resemble the Her- ring Gull in habits, and are not easily identifiable from that species unless the two be seen together, when the smaller size of the Ring- bill is noticeable. In the interior, where the species is locally common, it feeds on insects, which it catches both on the ground and in the air. The Mew Gull {56. Larus canus) — a European species — has been found once in Labrador. 58. Larus atricilla Z^«7^. LAUGHI^G Gull; Black-headed Gull. (See Fig. 0, i.) Ad. in Hummer. — Back and wings dark pearl-gray ; primaries black, the inner ones with small white tips (Fig. 60, c) ; whole head and throat deep slate-color; rest of the plumage, including the nape, pure white, the breast sometimes suifased by a delicate peach-blossom tint; bill dark red- dish, brighter at the tip. Ad. in winter. — Resembles the above, but has the head and throat white, the crown and sides of the head and sometimes the nape spotted or streaked with grayish. Im. — Upper parts light ashy fuscous, the feathers margined with whitish ; primaries black ; forehead and under parts white, sometimes washed in places with dusky ; tail dark pearl-gray, broadly tipped with black. L., 16-50 ; W., 12-50 ; T., 4-90 ; B., 1-65. " Range. — Breeds from Texas and Florida to Maine ; rare in the interior ; winters from South Carolina to northern South America. Washiugton, irregular in fall. Long Island, rare S. R., irregular T. V., Apl. to Sept. Nest., of grasses, seaweed, etc., on the ground in grassy marshes. Eggs^ three to five, varying from grayish olive-brown to greenish gray, spotted, blotched, and scrawled with chocokite, 2-15 x 1-55. " From the hoarse clatter of the Terns one could distinguish its long-drawn, clear note on a high key, sounding not unlike the more excited call-note of the Domestic Goose ; and every now and then it would give its prolonged, weird laughter, which has given rise to its common name. To one who has heard it, it might be imitated by the syllables hah- ha-ha-ha-ha, hah-hah-hah, all of which are uttered on a high, clear tone, the last three or four syllables, and especially the last one, being drawn out with peculiar and prolonged effect, the whole sounding like the odd and excited laughter of an Indian squaw, and giving marked propriety to the name of the bird " (Langille). 59. Larus frankliui Sir. and Fieh.. Franklin's Gull. Ad. in svm- mer. — Whole head and throat sooty black, nape, sides of the neck, and under parts, except throat, white, generally suffused (in fresh specimens) with an exquisite peach-blossom tint; tail white; back and wings pearl-gray; first primary white, the outer web black, except at the tip, the shaft part of the inner web grayish on the basal half (Fig. 60, d) ; second primary white, with a black mark on the inner web and a black stripe on the outer web near the tip, the rest of the outer web and shaft part of the inner web pearl-gray ; third GULLS. Y5 to sixth primaries tipped with white, then banded with gradually diminishing bars of black, which are succeeded by a whitish space, wliile the rest of the feather is pearl-gi»ay ; bill dark coral-red. Ad. in winter. — " Similar, but head and neck white, the occiput, with orbital and auricular regions, grayish dusky ; bill and feet dusky, the former tipped with orange reddish." Young, first plumage.—'-^ Top and sides of the head (except forehead and lores), back and scapulars grayish brown, the longer scapulars bordered terminally with pale grayish buft'; wing-coverts bluish gray tinged with grayish brown; seconda- ries dusky, edged with pale grayish blue and broadly tipped with white; pri- maries dusky, the inner more plumbeous, all broadly tipped with white. Central portion of the rump uniform light bluish gray ; lateral and posterior portions of the rump, upper tail-coverts, entire lower parts, forehead, lores, and eyelids white. Bill brownish, dusky terminally ; feet brown (in skin)." W., 11-25; B., 1-30; depth through nostrils, -35 ; Tar., 1-60 (B., B., and R.). Bange. — " Breeds from southern Minnesota and Dakota northward ; win- ters in the Southern States, and migrates principally west of the Mississippi Kiver" (Cooke and Merriam). Not found on the Atlantic coast. . Nest, of grasses, etc., in reedy or bush-grown marshes. Eggs, one to three, varying from dark chocolate to creamy brown and sooty white, irregularly marked with small spots or large blotches of umber, and with obsolete lilac shell markings, 2-12 x 1-40 (Preston). This inland species reaches our western limits. An excellent ac- count of its habits, by J. W. Preston, will be found in the Ornitholo- gist and Oologist, xi, pp. 54, 55. 60. Larus Philadelphia ( OrcT). Bonaparte's Gull. Ad. in summer. — Whole head and throat dark, sooty slate-color; nape and sides of the neck, under parts, except throat, and tail white; back and wings pearl-gray; first primary, seen from above, white, the outer web and tip black (Fig. 60, e); second and third primaries white, tipped with black ; third to sixth primaries with small whitish tips, then large black spaces, the rest of the feather white or pearl-gray ; bill black. Ad. in winter. — Similar to the preceding, but head and throat white, the back and sides of the head washed with grayish. Im. — Top of the head and nape and a spot on the auriculars more or less washed with grayish ; back varying from brownish gray to pearl-gray ; lesser wing- coverts grayish brown, secondaries mostly pearl-gray ; first primary with the outer web, tip, and most of the shaft part of the inner web black; inner mar- gin of the inner web at the end of the feather narrowly bordered with black; second and third primaries much the same, but with slightly more black at the ends; tail white, banded with black and narrowly tipped with white; under parts white. L., 14-00 ; W., 10-30 ; T., 4-00 ; B., 1-15. Range. — Breeds from Manitoba northward ; apparently no record of its breeding on the Atlantic coast; winters southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Washington, common T. V., Mch. to May 5 ; Oct. and Nov. Long Island, common T. V., a few winter, Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, rather rare T. V., Apl. and Oct. Nest, of sticks lined with grasses, etc., on stumps, in bushes or trees four 76 TERNS. to twenty feet from the ground. Eggs^ three to four, grayish olive with a greenish tint and small clove-brown spots, chieily about the larger end, 1-97 X 1-40 (B., B., and E.)- " The flight is easy and graceful, each stroke of the long, pointed wings throwing the body up a little, while the bird peers this way and that in quest of its small prey. If it fly toward one, the white front of its wings, added to its white breast and neck, gives it the appear- ance of a white bird with a black head. It often has a noticeable way of turning partly around or cutting backward as it drops in securing some object detected on or near the surface of the water, thus making it appear decidedly lithe and agile on the wing" (Langille). The Little Gull {60-1. Larus miiiutus), a European species, has been taken only once in America — on Long Island, in September, 1887 (Dutcher, Auk, V, 1888, p. 171). Boss's Gull {61. Bhodostethia rosea)., an arctic species, is knoAvn from Point Barrow, Alaska ; Melville Peninsula ; England, Faroes, and Heligoland ; but has been found in numbers only at the first-mentioned locality. (See Murdoch, Kep. of the Exp. to Point Barrow, p. 123.) 62. XeHia sabinii {8ab.). Sabine's Gull. Ad. in summer. — "Whole head and throat slate-color, bordered posteriorly by black ; back and sides of the neck, under parts, except throat, and sligldly forked tail pure white ; back and wings dark pearl-gray ; secondaries tipped with white ; first primary black, the inner half of the inner web, except at the end, white ; second to fourth primaries similar, but tipped with white ; bill black, the end yellow. Ad. in winter. — " Similar to the summer plumage, but the head and neck white, except occiput, nape, and auricular region, which are dull, dusky plumbeous" (B,, B., and K.). 7?n.— Forehead and lores white, rest of the upper parts ashy brown, the feathers slightly tipped with whitish ; tail white, liroadly tipped with blackish ; under parts white. L., 14-00 ; W., 10-50 ; T., 4-50 ; B., 95. Range. — Arctic regions, in winter migrating only a short distance south- ward and rarely reaching the United States. Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest., of grasses, etc., on the ground. Eggs^ two to five, deep olive (vary- ing in intensity, however), rather indistinctly spotted or blotched with brown, 1-78 X 1-26 (Ridgw.). This boreal species is of rare occurrence in the northern United States in the winter. Subfamily Sterninm. Terns. Terns are littoral ; never, I believe, pelagic. They inhabit the shores of bodies of both fresh and salt water, but are more abundant on the seacoast than in the interior. Their principal characters, as compared with the Gulls, are mentioned under the subfamily Larinm. Their TERNS. 77 power of flight has deservedly won for them the name of Sea Swal- lows. They capture their prey of small fish by plunging into the water, frequently disappearing and swimming a few feet beneath the surface. They nest in colonies. The nest is usually on the ground. Generally it is simply a slight depression in the sand, shells, or pebbles of a beach, or in the near-by seaweed, moss, or grasses. Sometimes it is scantily lined with bits of grass, seaweed, moss, etc., but these are frequently wanting. KEY TO THE SPECIES. L.Wing under 13-00. 1. Entire top of the head jet-black. A. Bill black, or mostly black. a. Feet black or blackish. fli. Under parts black or blackish 77. Black Terx. a'*. Under parts white ; bill black .... 63. Gull-billed Tern. a3. Under parts white; bill black, broadly tipped with yellow. 67. Cabot's Tern. b. Feet yellowish or orange. b^. Outer tail-feathers pure white ; outer web of first primary black. 72. Roseate Tern. &2. Inner web of outer tail-feather gray ; outer web of first primary gray 69. Forster's Tern. £. Bill mostly or entirely yellowish, reddish, brownish, or orange. a. Under parts tinged with grayish ; outer web of outer tail-feather gray ; inner web white. a^. Bill broadly tipped with blackish ; tarsus generally over -70. 70. Common Tern. a2. Bill without a distinct black tip ; tarsus generally under -70, 71. Arctic Tern. b. Under parts pure white ; inner web of outer tail-feather gray ; outer web white 69. Forster's Tern. 2. Forehead white ; lores black ; crown jet-black. ^. Wing under 8-00; back pearl-gray 74. Least Tern. £. Wing over 8-00 ; back grayish brown or blackish. a. Back grayish brown ; a white stripe from the forehead over the eye. 76. Bridled Tern. b. Back blackish ; white of forehead not reaching over the eye. 75. Sooty Tern. 3. Forehead or crown white or grayish, sometimes speckled with black; lores not entirely black, A. Wing pearl-gray, over 9-00. a. Outer tail-feather entirely pure white. ai. Bill over 1-75, tipped with yellowish ... 67. Cabot's Tern. a2. Bill under 1-75, without a yellow tip . 72. Roseate Tern (Im.). b. Outer tail-feather not pure white. b^. Inner web of outer tail-feather darker than outer web ; outer web 78 TERNS. II mostly or entirely white ; a black space generally on the side of the head inclosing the eye 69. Forster's Tern (Im.). 52. Outer web of outer tail-feather darker than inner Aveb ; tarsus over "70 TO. Common Tern (Im.). bK Outer web of outer tail-feather darker than inner web ; tarsus under -70 71. Arctic Tern (Im.). R Wing blackish, over 9-00. a. Under parts blackish 75. Sooty Tern flm.). h. Under parts white 76. Bridled Tern (Im.). 4. Crown silvery gray ; lores black ; rest of plumage sooty . 79. Is'oddt. C. Wing under 9-00 77. Black Tern (Im.). . Wing over 13-00. A. Wing 15'00 or over ; outer primary mostly gray. 64. Caspian Tebn. £. Wing under 15-00 ; inner half of inner web of first primary white. 65. KoYAL Tern. Fig. 61.— First primaries of adult Terns, seen from below, (a) Caspian Tern ; (6) Royal Tern ; (c) Common Tern ; (d) Arctic Tern ; (e) Roseate Tern. 63. Gelochelidon nilotica Hasselq. Gull-billed Tern; Marsh Tern. Ad. in fnimmer. — Top of the head and nape black; back and wings pale pearl-gray ; outer web of outer primaries silvery ; tip and shaft part of the inner web darker; inner part of the inner web, except for a narrow mar- TERNS. 79 gin at the end of the feather, white ; tail white, slightly forked, the middle featliers grayish ; under parts white ; bill and feet black, the former rather short and stout. Ad. in winter. — Similar to the above, but top of the head white, auriculars grayish, and a space in front of the eye blackish. L., 14*50; W., 12-00; T., 5-50; B., 1-40; depth of B. at base, -50, Range. — Cosmopolitan ; in North America breeds along the Gulf coast from Mexico to Florida, and on the Atlantic coast north to Virginia, straying northward rarely to Maine. Washington, casual. Long Island, A. V. in summer. EggSj three to live, rather uniform buffy white, with numerous distinct and obscure chocolate markings, 1-80 x 1-30. This is a common species on the coast of our Southern States. It is said to prefer insects, which it catches on the wing, to fish. Its voice is harsh and easily distinguishable from that of other Terns, while its heavy black bill will also serve to identify it. 64. Sterna tsche^ava Lepech. Caspian Terk. Ad. in spring. —Top and buck of the head shining black, the feathers lengthened to form a crest : back of the neck, under parts, and tail white ; back and wings pearl- gray ; primaries dark slaty, silvery on the outer web (Fig. 61, a) ; bill coral- red, darker near the tip ; feet black. Ad. after the breeding season and in winter. — Similar to the above, but top of the head streaked with black. Im. — Top of head streaked with black and wliite ; back of neck and under parts white ; back, wing-coverts, and tertials pearl-gray, spotted or barred with brownish black ; primaries dark slaty, silvery on the outer web ; tail pearl- gray, more or less barred with brownish black : bill orange-red ; feet black- ish brown. L., 21-00; W.. 16-20; T., 6-00; B., 2-80. Range. — A cosmopolitan species of irregular distribution ; in North Amer- ica, breeds locally from Texas to Great Slave Lake ; migrates through the in- terior and on the coast, and apparently does not winter within our limits. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Aug.' and Sept. Rggs^ two to three, grayish white or buffy white, with rather small, dis- tinct, and obscure chocolate markings, 2-70 x 1-83. This large Tern of local distribution is to be known by its size and red bill. Unless the two were seen together, however, I do not believe it could with certainty be distinguished in life from the Royal Tern. 65* Sterna mazdlnia Bodd. Eoyal Terx. Ad. in spring. — Top and back of the head shining black, the feathers lengthened to form a crest; back of the neck, under parts, and tail white ; back and wings pearl-gray ; inner web of primaries, except at the tip, white ; tip, outer web, and shaft part of inner web dark, silvery slate-color (Fig. 61, b). Ad. after the breeding season and in winter. — Similar to the above, but top of the head streaked with black and white. Im. — Resembling the young of S. tschegrava., but smaller and with the inner half of the inner web of the primaries white. L., 19-00 ; W., 14-00 ; T., 7-00 ; B., 2-50. Range. — Breeding in North America along the Gulf coast from Texas to 80 TERNS. Florida, and on the Atlantic coast to Virginia; occasionally wanders north- wai-d to the Great Lakes and Massachusetts. Long Island, A. V. in summer. E'jgs^ one to four, more pointed than those of the preceding, grayish white, with rather small, distinct, and obscure chocolate markings, 2-65 x 1-75. A common species on our southern coasts. During the winter it is about the only Tern one sees in Florida waters. It is a strong, active bird on the wing, and a reckless, dashing diver, frequently dis- appearing beneath the surface in catching its prey. The slow-flying Pelicans are at its mercy, and it often deftly robs them of their well- earned gains. Both this species and the preceding, and indeed all the Terns, are to be known from the Gulls by the very different manner in which they hold their bills. A Tern points its bill directly downward, and looks, as Coues says, like a big mosquito, while a Gull's bill points for- ward in the plane of its body. 67. Sterna sandvicensis acuflavida {Cabot). Cabot's Tern; Sandwich Tern. Ad. in, sjyriiKj. — Whole top of the head and crest black ; back and wings light pearl-gray ; primaries silvery gray ; the shaft part of the inner web white except at the tip ; rest of the plumage white ; feet and bill black, the latter with a conspicuous yelloioish tip. Ad. after the breeding season, and in winter. — Similar to the above, but crown white, sometimes spotted with black; back of the head and crest more or less streaked with white." Im. — Similar to the preceding, but back spotted with blackish ; tail slaty gray and much shorter; bill slightly if at all tipped with yellow. L., 16-00; W., 10-50; T., 5-50; B., 2-05. Range.— TY0^\c3i\ America, breeding on the Gulf coast from Texas to Florida, and on the Atlantic coast to South Carolina ; accidental in Massa- chusetts. , Eggs, two to three, buffy w^hite, spotted, speckled, and scrawled with dis- tinct and obscure chocolate markings, 2-05 x 1-40. This is an abundant summer resident on the coasts of southern Florida, and in winter is common as far north as Key West. It is said by Audubon to somewhat resemble the Marsh Tern on the wing, and to have a loud, sharp, grating voice, which can be heard half a mile or more. I have never seen it alive, but I believe its yellow-tipped, black bill would enable one to identify it at some dis- tance. Trudeau's Tern [68. Sterna trudeaui) is a South American species which has been taken once on Long Island and once on the New Jersey coast. 69. Sterna forsteri JVuft. Forster's Tern. Ad, in summer. — Whole top of the head black ; back and wings pearl-gray ; inner border of inner web of the outer primaries white, except at the tip ; rump and mtire TERNS. 81 under parts white ; tail light pearl -gray, the outer feather darker toward the end, where the inner web is always darker than the outer ; bill dull orange, the end third blackish ; feet orange. Ad. in winter. — Similar to the above, but head white, more or less washed with grayish or spotted with black, a large black spot on the side of the head inclosing the eye ; bill mostly black ; feet brownish. /7«..— Similar to the preceding, but the back and wings more or less mottled or Avashed with light brownish, and the tail much shorter. L., 15-00 ; W., 10-25 ; T., 7-00 ; Tar., 90 ; B., 1-50. Range. — Of more or less general distribution throughout North America, breeding in the east locally from Texas northward through the Mississippi Valley to St. Clair Flats and Manitoba — recorded from Lake Mistassini — ap- parently not breeding on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia, but wandering irregularly to Massachusetts. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, rare T. V. in fall. Eest., of seaweed, flags, or weeds on a slight elevation in grassy marshes. Eggs.^ three, very variable, olive-gray, or olive brownish ashy, more rarely whitish or buflf, heavily marked with chocolate, 1-80 x 1-30. Dr. Brewer, writing of Mr. Ridgway's experience with this species on Cobb's Island, Virginia, where it was found breeding in numbers, says : " It was only less abundant than the Anglica [=. 7iilotica], and quite as numerous as the hirundo, frequenting especially grassy marshes, in which it nests. He found it pre-eminently a marsh Tern. It nested in company with, or in close proximity to, colonies of the Black-headed Gull. It could be readily distinguished from the Com- mon Tern, which it closely resembles when on the wing, by its grating monotonous note, which very closely resembles one frequently uttered by the Loggerhead Shrike" (B. B., and R.). 70. Sterna hirundo Linn. Common Tern; Wilson's Tern; Sea Swallow (see Fig. 7). Ad. in summer.— Whole top of the head black ; back and wings pearl-gray ; inner border of inner web of outer primaries white, except at the tip (Fig. 61, c) ; throat white ; breast and belly pale pearl-gray; tail white, the outer webs of the outer feathers gray or pearl-gray ; bill red at the base, the end third blach ; feet orange-red. Ad. in winter.— ^'vanlsir to the above, but front part of the head and under parts white : bill mostly black, /m.— Similar to the preceding, but the back more or less washed or mottled with light brownish ; lesser wing-coverts slaty gray, and tail much shorter. L., 15-00 ; W., 10-25 ; T., 5-50 ; Tar., -75 ; B., 1-40. Remarks.— ']^\iQ Common Tern is closely related to Forster's Tern and also to the Arctic Tern. From the former it is to be distinguished by the color of the long outer tail-feathers. In the Common Tern the outer web of these feathers is always darker than the inner web; in Forster's Tern the inner web is always darker than the outer one. Adult Common Terns have the breast and belly washed y^'xih. pearl-gray., while in Forster's Tern these parts are pure white. «>^he Common Tern differs from the Arctic Tern in having the bill tipped 7 82 ter:sS. with black instead of being entirely red ; in having longer tarsi, and in the color of the primaries. Range. — '' Greater part of the northern hemisphere and Africa; in North America chiefly confined to the eastern province " (A. O. U,). Breeds locally both on the coast and in the interior from the Gulf States to the Barren Grounds and Greenland. Washington, irregular T. V., sometimes common. Long Island, common S. R., May through Sept. Sing Sing, casual in late summer. Cambridge, casual in Sept. Eggs., three to four, not distinguishable with certainty from those ot the preceding, but averaging paler and greener, and less heavily marked, 1-60 X 1-20. It is five years since I visited the breeding grounds of the colony of Common Terns on Gull Island, L. I., but I can close my eyes and still feel the air vibrate with the harsh, half-threatening, half-pleading chorus of nearly two thousand excited voices. There is a dull, heavy, hopeless monotone, broken only by the scream of some half-maddened bird who fearlessly darts downward to protect its nest at my feet. A shot is fired ; there is a moment of awe-struck silence, then, with re- newed violence, the screaming is resumed. Pandemonium reigns: tearr, terrrr, swish / the air is full of darting, diving, crying Terns. It was useless to attempt to secrete myself. At no time during my stay did the outcry cease or hovering flock disperse. This little, barren, uninhabited, sandy island — only a few acres in extent — and Muskeget Island, off the Massachusetts coast, are the only localities, from New Jersey to Maine, where the once abundant Common Tern, or Sea Swallow, can be found in any numbers. What an illus- tration of the results of man's greed and woman's thoughtlessness ! The fickle fashion which indorsed the poor Tern's spotless plumage has long since found new favorites, and the sadly mangled pearl-gray feathers have gone to graves in the ash-heap. Now it is the Egret's turn. Even the protection afforded by an insular home was not sufficient. Feather hunters, egg robbers, and self-styled oologists came in boats to drive the Sea Swallows from their last resort ; but the law inter- fered, and both Gull and Muskeget Islands now have a paid keeper whose duty it is to protect the Terns. 71. Sterna paradissea Brunn. Arctic Tern. — Very similar in color to the Gommon Tern, from which it differs in having less gray on the shaft part of the inner web of the outer primaries (Fig. 61, (i) ; in having the tail somewhat longer, the tarsi and bill shorter, Avhile the latter, in the adult, is generally without a black tip. L., 15-50; W., 10-25; T., 7-50; Tar., -65; B., 1-30. Mange. — " Northern hemisphere ; in North America, breeding from Massa- TERNS. 83 chusctts to the arctic regions, and wintering southward to Virginia and Cali- fornia" (A. O. U.). Long Lshind, rare in summer, Eggs^ three to four, not distinguishable with certainty from those of the preceding, 1-G2 x 1-15. Comparing the notes of this bird with those of the Common Tern, Mr. Brewster writes : *' Their notes are similar, but several of them can be distinguished. The usual cry of S. macriira [=2}aradiscBa] cor- responds to the fearr of S. hirimdo, but is shriller, ending in a rising inflection, and sounding very like the squeal of a pig. The bird also has a short, harsh note similar to that of Forster's Tern. At any dis- tance within fair gun-range I could usually separate it from Wilson's [= Common] Tern by its longer tail, and by the uniform and deeper color of the bill. In flight and habits the two seemed to me identical " (Birds Observed on the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xxii, 1883, p. 402). 72. Sterna dougalli Montag. Roseate Tern. Ad. in summer. — • Top of head black; back and wings pearl-gray; outer web of outer pri- maries and shaft part of the inner web slaty black (Fig. 61, e) ; under parts white, generally delicately tinted with pinkish; tail pure white; bill black, the base reddish ; feet red. Ad. in winter. — Similar to the above, but front of the head white, more or less streaked or spotted with black ; under parts pure white. Im.., first plumage. — " Pileum and nape pale bufty grayish, finely mottled or sprinkled with darker, and streaked, especially on the crown, with dusky ; orbital and auricular regions dusky blackish ; remainder of the head, extreme lower part of the nape, and entire lower parts white, the nape, and sometimes the breast, finely mottled with buffy gray ; back, scapulars, wing- coverts, rump, upper tail-coverts, and tail pale pearl-blue, the back and scapu- lars overlaid with pale buff irregularly mottled witli dusky, each feather with a submarginal dusky V-shaped mark ; primary coverts and primaries dark bluish-gray edged with paler, the inner webs of the latter broadly edged with white; tail-feathers marked near their ends much like the longer scapulars, their outer webs rather dark grayish ; bill brownish dusky ; feet dusky." L., 15-50; W., 9-50; T., 7-50; B., 1-50 (B., B., and E.). Range. — Temperate and tropical regions; in America apparently confined to the Atlantic coast, breeding from Florida northward to Maine; compara- tively rare north of southern New Jersey ; winters south of the United States. Long Island, uncommon but regular S. E., May through Sept, Eggs., three, not distinguishable with certainty from those of S.forsteri or S. hirundo., but averaging paler and less heavily marked, 1-65 x 1-20. This species is found associated with colonies of Common Terns, apparently making its nest among theirs. It is a less excitable, wilder bird than hirundo, and its single harsh note, each, may be distinctly heard above the uproar of Common Terns, as it hovers somewhat in 84 TERNS. the background. Its white breast and long outer tail-feathers also aid in distinguishing it. '}'4» Sterna a>ntillaarl-^Aa«(?.— Entire plumage nearly uniform dark, slaty gray. L., 19-00 ; W., 13-04 ; B,, 1-50 ; depth of B. at base, -75 (Ridgw.). Range. — North Atlantic ; south in winter on the American coast to Massa- chusetts ; accidental in northern New Jersey. A>sZ!, on the ledges of rocky cliff's. Egg., one, dull white, 2-85 x 2-01. " The Fulmar is a constant attendant on whalers, sealers, etc. — who know it as the ' Mollinioke ' — in order to obtain fatty substances and animal offal : but I never saw it take any while on the wing, and it always settles on the water to feed, like an Albatross. The pinions are often flapped slowly in an owl-like manner, but in scudding they are held very straight — a peculiarity by which it may easily be distin- guished from a Gull at a distance " (Saunders). 86a. F. g. minor Kjaerh. Lesser Fulmar; Noddy. "Similar in color to F. glacialis, but much smaller. W., 11-80-12-00; B., 1-30-1-38; depth of K at base, -60--70." Kange.—"- North Atlantic, south on American side to coast of New Eng- land" (Kidgw.). 88 SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS. 88. Puffinus borealis Cory. Cory's Shearwater, ^i.— Upper parts ashy fuscous, wings and tail darker; sides of head and neck slightly lighter ; under parts white, sometimes washed with grayish on the breast ; under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts white^ the latter more or less mot- tled with grayish ; bill yellowish. L., 21-00 ; W., 14-00 ; Tar., 2-20 ; B., 2-10. Bange.—Kno^n as yet only off the Atlantic coast from Massachusetts to Long Island. Long Island, uncommon from Aug. to Oct. Nest and eggs unknown. Cory's Shearwater has been found as a not uncommon summer visitant off the coast of Massachusetts, but its range is unknown. 89. Puffinus major Faher. Greater Shearwater ; Hagdon. Ad. — Upper parts fuscous, wings and tail slightly darker ; longer upper tail- coverts tipped with whitish ; under parts white ; belly more or less ashy gray ; under tail-coverts ashy gray ; bill blackish. L., 20-00 ; W., 12-25 ; Tar., 2-20; B., 1-85. Range. — "Atlantic Ocean, south to Cape Horn and Cape of Good Hope" (A. O. U.) ; north to Greenland. Long Island, uncommon in summer. Nest and eggs unknown. " The long, narrow wings are set stiffly at right angles with the body, and the bird frequently glides half a mile at a time without moving them perceptibly. It usually follows a direct course, and in- variably skims close over the waves. I know of no other sea bird whose movements are as easy and graceful. Indeed, at times, espe- cially during a gale, its evolutions will compare in grace and spirit with those of the Mississippi or Swallow-tailed Kites " (Brewster). Manx's Shearwater {90. Puffinus vnffinus) resembles the next in color, but is larger. W., 8-50-9-25 ; B., 1-35-1-40 ; depth of B. through base, •40--45 ; Tar., 1-70-1-80 " (B., B., and K.). It is a European species of exceedingly rare or accidental occurrence on the North Atlantic coast. 92. Puffinus auduboni FinscJi. Aldubon's Shearwater. Ad. — Upper parts, wings, and tail dark, sooty, brownish black ; under parts white; sides of the breast grayish ; a patch on the flanks and under tail-coverts sooty brownish black ; inner side of tarsi yellowish, outer brownish ; bill blackish. L, 12-00; W., 8-00; Tar., 1-60; B., 1-20. Range. — Warmer parts of the Atlantic, north rarely to Long Island ; breeds in the Antilles and Bahamas, but not, so far as known, on our coasts. Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest., of a few bits of sticks in a hole in the rocks. Fgg-, one, chalky white, 2-05 x 1-40. An abundant West Indian species which Vireeds in the Bahamas ind Antilles, and is doubtless not uncommon off our southern coasts. SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS. 89 Its flight, low over the water, is strong and swift, five or six rapid wing-beats being followed by a short sail. 94. PuflBbius Strickland! Ridgw. Sooty Shearwater ; Black IIaodox. Ad. — Upper parts, wings, and tail dark, sooty, brownish black ; under parts somewhat grayer ; bill blackish. L., IT'OO ; W., 12-00 ; Tar., 2-10 ; B., 1-65. Range. — As far as known, North Atlantic; south on the American coast to South Carolina. Long Island, uncommon in summer. I^est and eggs unknown. *' Its flight and habits seem to be identical with those of major, but its uniform dark coloring gives it a very different appearance. At a distance it looks as black as a Crow " (Brewster). The Black-capped Petrel {98. ^'Estrelata hasitata) is a southern species, which has been found on Long Island, in Florida, West Virginia, and Ver- mont. It bears a general resemblance to Puffinus major., but is much smaller and has the upper and under tail-coverts white. The Scaled Petrel {99. ^^strelata scalaris) is known froai one individual which had wandered to western New York. Its true home has not been dis- covered, but is doubtless in the Antarctic Ocean. Bulw^er's Petrel {101. Buhveria bulweri) inhabits the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the coasts of Europe and Africa, and is of accidental occur- rence in Greenland. 104. Procellaria pelagica Linn. Stormy Petrel, ^d— Upper parts, wings, and tail sooty black ; under parts slightly browner; upper tail- coverts white, the longer ones broadly tipped tvith hlach ; under tail-coverts mixed with whitish ; bill and feet black. L., 5-50 ; W., 4-80 ; T., 2-50 ; B., -45. Range. — '' Atlantic Ocean, south on the American side to the Newfound- land Banks, west coast of Africa and coast of Europe " (A. O. U.). Nest., of a few bits of sticks and grasses in a burrow in the ground or be- neath a rock. Egg., one, dull white, sometimes with a wreath of minute or obscure markings at the larger end, 1-10 x -80. This is the common Stormy Petrel of the east side of the Atlantic. It nests in numbers on the small islands along the coast of Great Britain, but is only a transient visitant in our waters. It resembles the two following species in habits. 106. Oceanodroma leucorhoa ( VieiU.). Leach's Petrel. Ad. —Upper parts, wings, and tail sooty brown; under parts slightly browner; wing-coverts grayish brown ; longer upper tail-coverts white, shorter ones mixed with sooty brownish ; tail forked^ outer feathers more than -50 longer than middle pair; bill and feet black. L., 8-00; W., 6*20; T., 3-50; B., -62. Range. — "North Atlantic. and North Pacific Oceans; south on the coast of the United States to Virginia and California; breeds from Maine and the Hebrides northward on the coasts of the Atlantic " (A. O. U.). 00 SHEARWATERS AND PETRELS. Washington, A. V., several records. Long Island, uncommon T. V., May and June. Cambridge, A. V., one instance, Oct. JVest, of a few bits of sticks and grasses in a burrow in the ground, or be- neath a rock. £g(/, one, creamy white, sometimes with a wreath of minute or obscure markings at the larger end, 1-34 x 1-00. . " This is a bird of the northern hemisphere, being as common on the Pacific Ocean as on the Atlantic. Its chief breeding station on our shores is among the islands at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy ; but the open ocean is the bird's true home. " Leach's Petrels are seldom seen about their nesting site during the day, though in the evening they assemble there ; and when flut- tering through the twilight or under the moon's guidance they have the appearance of a foraging squad of bats, though the birds' wild, plaintive notes betray their race. The Petrels are not strictly noc- turnal, however, for while one of a pair sits close on the nest all day — and this one has been generally the male, in my experience — the mate is out at sea. " When handled, these birds emit from mouth and nostrils a small quantity of oil-like fluid of a reddish color and pungent, musklike odor. The air at the nesting site is strongly impregnated with this odor, and it guides a searcher to the nest " (Chamberlain). 109. Oceanites oceanicus {KuTil). Wilson's Petkel. Ad. — Up- per parts, wings, and tail sooty black; under parts somewhat lighter; under tail-coverts mixed with whitish, longer upper tail-coverts white, shorter ones marked with sooty black ; wing-coverts grayish, margined with whitish ; bill and feet black, the webs of the latter mostly yellow. L., 7*00 ; W., 5-90 ; T., 2-80 ; B., -50. Range. — Atlantic Ocean ; breeds in southern seas (Kerguelen Island) and migrates northward, spending the summer off our coasts. Washington, A. V., one record. Long Island, common from May to Sept. Nest, in the crevices of rocks. Egg-, one, white. It is generally known that some birds which nest in the northern parts of our continent, in the winter migrate as far south as Patago- nia; but comparatively few are aware that during the summer we receive several visitors from the southern parts of the southern hemi- sphere. They are all included in the family Procellariidce, and Wil- son's Petrel is doubtless the most common. It breeds in the islands of the South Atlantic in February, and after tlie cares of the breeding season are over migrates northward to pass its winter off our coasts. At this season its home is the sea, and its occurrence on land is gener- ally due to storms. For this reason, and because of its long migra- tion, it is the Petrel most frequently observed in western Atlantic, waters durinc: the summer. TROPIC BIRDS. 91 Under the name of " Stormy Petrel," or " Mother Carey's Chicken," they are familiar to most people who have made sea voyages. On tireless wing they follow in the track of a ship, coursing ceaselessly back and forth, now beneath the stern, now hovering over the foam- flecked wake, reminding one of white-rumped Martins in their easy, graceful flight. If food be thrown overboard, they are at once attracted to it, and soon are left far behind, a little group of black, fluttering forms on the surface of the ocean. The meal disposed of, a few rapid wing-beats bring them to us, and again they resume their patient beat- ing to and fro. The White-bellied Petrel {110. Cymodroma grallaria) is a tropical species which has been taken once in North America — at St. Marks, Florida. The White-faced Petrel {111. Pdagodroma marina) inhabits the South Atlantic and southern seas. It is of casual occurrence off the coast of Massa- chusetts. It may be distinguished from any of our small Petrels by its white under parts. ORDER STEGANOPODES. TOTIPALMATE SWIMMERS. Family Phaethontid^. Tropic Birds. The three species composing this small but distinct family are found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are littoral rather than pelagic, but make long journeys across the open sea. Their flight when migrating is strong, rapid, and direct. In feeding, they course over the water, beating back and forth at a height of about forty feet. Their long, willowy tail-feathers add greatly to the grace and beauty of their appearance when on the wing. 112. Phaethon flavirostris Brandt. Yellow-billed Tropic Bird (see Fig. 11). Ad. — White; a mark before and through the eye; outer web of primaries, lesser wing-coverts, and tertials black ; flanks streaked with slate ; bill yellow ; tail tinged with salmon, shafts of the feathers black. "W., 10-75 ; T., 19-00 ; B., 2-00. Range. — Tropical coasts ; Atlantic coasts of tropical America, West Indies, Bahamas, Bermudas ; casual in Florida and accidental in western New York and Nova Scotia. This species breeds abundantly in the limestone cliffs of the Ber- mudas, but is of rare and probably accidental occurrence on our coasts. The Ked-billed Tropic Bird {113. PhaUhon athereus) resembles the preceding species, but has the bill red and the upper parts finely barred with black. Its range in the Atlantic is more southern than that of the Yellow- billed Tropic Bird, and in eastern North America it is accidental. The only record of its occurrence is off the Newfoundland Banks. 92 GANNETS. Family Sulid^. Gannets. The Gannets number about eight species, of which one is northern while the remaining seven are distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical coasts of the world. They are strictly maritime, but, ex- cept when migrating, do not venture far from land. Their flight is strong and rapid, the vigorous strokes of the wing being interrupted at intervals by a short sail. They obtain their food of fish by plung- ing for it from the air. The northern species is migatory ; the others are roving, but all return with regularity to their nesting places, gen- erally on some inaccessible islet, where, during the breeding season, they may be found associated in large numbers. 115. Sula sula< {Linn.). Booby. (See Fig. 12.) Ad. — Breast and belly white, sometimes waslied with grayish; rest of the plumage brownish fuscous; head and neck sometimes streaked with grayish brown and white; bill and feet yellowish. Im. — Entire plumage brownish fuscous, lighter be- low ; bill blackish, feet yellow. L., 30-00 ; W., 15-50 : T., 8-00 ; B., 3-80. Range. — " Coasts of tropical and subtropical America, north to Georgia." Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest.1 on the shore of a barren islet. Eggs.^ two, chalky white, 2-30 x 1-55. This inhabitant of barren shores and lonely islets is a summer visitant to the Florida keys. It is a strong flier, and when on the wing reminds one of both a Cormorant and a Gull. The Blue-faced Booby {114- Sula cyanops) is found in the " South Pa- cific, West Indies, and northward to Florida," but there are no recent records of its occurrence in the last-named locality. The Red-footed Booby {116. Sula piscator) inhabits the coasts and islands of tropical and subtropical seas, north to western Mexico, and is said to occur in Florida, but, like S. cyanops., it is of accidental occurrence within our limits. 117. Sula bassana {Linn.). Gannet. J6?.— White, head and neck tinged with pale straw-yellow; primaries fuscous. Im. — Throat and upper parts, including wing-coverts, dark grayish brown, each feather with a small white wedge-shaped spot; breast and belly white, margined with grayish brown. L., 35-00 ; W., 19-00 ; T., 9-50 ; B., 4-00. Range. — "Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter to the Gulf of Mexico and Africa ; breeds from Nova Scotia and the British Islands north- ward." Long Island, T. V., May ; Oct. and Nov. ; a few winter. Nest., on rocky cliffs. Egg., one, pale bluish white, overlaid by a chalky deposit, more or less soiled and stained, 3-20 x 1-90. "The birds are usually associated in small, straggling flocks, and with outstretched necks, and eyes ever on the lookout for fish, they fly at a height of from seventy-five to a hundred feet above the water, or DARTERS. 93 occasionally somewhat more. The height at which the Gannet flies above the water is proportioned to the depth at which the fish are swimming beneath, and Captain Collins tells me that when fish are swimming near the surface the Gannet flies very low and darts ob- liquely instead of vertically upon his prey. Should any finny game be seen within range, down goes the Gannet headlong, the nearly closed wings being used to guide the living arrow in its downward flight. Just above the surface the wings are firmly closed, and a small splash of spray shows where the winged fisher cleaves the water to transfix his prey. Disappearing for a few seconds, the bird reappears, rests for a moment on the water, long enough to swallow his catch, and then rises in pursuit of other game " (Lucas, Rep. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1891, p. 712). Family Anhingid^. Darters. There are four species of Darters or Snakebirds, one each in Africa, southern Asia, Australia, and tropical and subtropical America. They are silent birds, generally living in pairs on bodies of fresh water with wooded shores. They select a perch over the water, and when alarmed sometimes drop into the element below and disappear beneath its sur- face, or fly upward to a considerable height and circle about like sail- ing Hawks. They swim well, and when approached too closely quietly sink backward, frequently leaving the long, thin neck and narrow, pointed head above the surface, when one at once observes the origin of the name "Snakebird." They obtain their food by pursuing it under water, and their finely serrated bill assists them in retaining their hold upon it. 118. Anhinga anhinga {Linn.). Anhikga; Snakebird; "Water Turkey. (See Fig. 13.) Ad. 6 in summer. — General plumage glossy black with greenish reflections; back of the head and neck with scattered grayish plumes ; upper back with numerous elongated silvery white spots, which on the scapulars become streaks ; lesser wing-coverts spotted like the back ; ex- posed portion of median and greater coverts silvery gray ; tail tipped with whitish, the outer webs of the middle pair of feathers with transverse flutings. Ad. (5 in winter. — Similar, but without the grayish plumes on the head and neck. Ad. 9 . — Similar to S , but with the whole head, neck, and breast brownish, darker above. Im,. — Similar to 9 , but with the black parts of the plumage brownish. L., 34-00 ; W., 13-50 ; T., 10-50 ; B., 3-25. Range. — Tropical and subtropical America; breeds as far north as south- ern Illinois and South Carolina ; winters from the Gulf States southward. Nest., of sticks lined with moss, rootlets, etc., over the water in a bush or tree. Eggs.^ two to four, bluish white with a chalky deposit, 2-15 x 1-35. This singular bird is common in the Gulf States. It has the habits of other members of this small family. 94 CORMORANTS. Family Phalacrocoracid^. Cormorants. Cormorants are found in all parts of the world. Ten of the thirty known species inhabit North America. As a rule they are maritime, but they also frequent bodies of fresh water far from the seacoast. They are gregarious at all times of the year and breed in large colo- nies. Their flight is strong and ducklike, but. except when migrat- ing, is generally not far above the surface of the water. They secure their food of fish by pursuing it under water, their hooked bill assist- ing them in its capture. Unlike the Gannets, they do not dive from the air, but from the water or a low perch. 119. Phalacrocorax carbo (Linn.). Cormorakt; Shag. (See Fig. 10.) Ad. in breeding plumage. — Eegion about the base of the lower man- dible white or whitish ; head, upper neck, and throat glossy black, thickly sprinkled with white ; rest ot the neck, under parts, and rump glossy black ; a white patch on the flanks ; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts light olive-brown, each feather bordered by glossy black ; tail black, composed of fourteen feathers. Ad. in winter. — Similar, but without white on the head. Im. — Top of the head and hind neck brownish black ; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts grayish brown, the feathers bordered by blackish ; rump glossy black ; throat and breast grayish brown, changing to white on the belly; sides and under tail-coverts glossy black. L., 36-00; W., 14-00; T., 7-00 ; B., 3-00. Range. — " Coasts of the North Atlantic, south in winter on the coast of the United States casually to the Carolinas" (A. O. U.). Breeds from the Bay of Fundy to northern Greenland. Long Island, regular T. V. in limited numbers. JS'est., of sticks and seaweed, in colonies generally on the ledges of rocky cliifs. Bggs^ four to six, pale bluish white, more or less overlaid with a chalky deposit, 2-50 x 1-50. This northern species is of uncommon occurrence on our coast south of its breeding range. 120. Phalacrocorax dilophus {Sw. and Bich.). Double-crested Cormorant. Ad. in breeding plumage.— Bead, neck, rump, and under parts glossy black ; upper back, scaj>ulars, and wing-coverts light grayish brown, each feather margined with glossy black ; tail black, composed of twelve feath- ers ; a tuft of black feathers on either side of the head. Ad. in winter.— Similar, but without tufts on the head, /w.— Top of the head and back of the neck blackish brown ; upper back, scapulars, and wing-coverts brownish gray, each feather margined with black ; rump glossy black ; sides of the head and fore neck grayish white, whiter on the breast and changing gradu- ally to black on the lower belly. L., 30-00 ; W., 12-50 ; T., 6-20 ; B., 2-30. . Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from Dakota, and the Bay of Fundy northward ; winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward. Washington, casual, several records. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. 1. Baldpate. 2. Green-winged Teal. 3. Blue-winged Teal. 4. Shoveler. 5. pintail. 6. Wood Duck. 7. Redhead. 8. Canvasback. 9. Am. Scaup Duck. 10. Am. Golden-eye. 11. Bufflehead. 12. Old Squaw. 13. Greenland Eider. 14. White-winged Scoter. 15. Ruddy Duck- PELICANS. 95 and May ; Aug. to Nov. Sing Sing, A. V., June. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Sept. Xest, of sticks, seaweed, etc., on the ledges of clift's, low bushes, bushy treee, or on the ground. £(/(/ft^ two to four, similar in color to those of the preceding, 2*40 x l-iO. This is the common Cormorant of the middle Eastern States. We see it chiefly as migrant when in flocks of varying size it passes far overhead, or pauses to rest on our shores. In migrating the flock is formed in a long line, comparatively few birds deep. On the wing they bear a general resemblance to large Ducks. 120a* P. d. floridanns (Aud.). Florida Cormorant. Resembles the preceding species in color, but is smaller. W., 12'00 ; T., 5-50 ; B., 2-10. This is an abundant bird on the Florida coast and westward along the shores of the Gulf. Almost every buoy in the harbors of Florida is capped by a Cormorant. They are shy birds, but may easily be se- cured by placing traps on the buoys or snags, to which they regularly return to roost. The Mexican Cormorant (131. Phalacrocorax mexicanus) — a species found on the west Gulf coast and southward — sometimes wanders up the Mis- sissippi as far as Illinois. FAIkULY PeLECANID^. PELICANS. The twelve known species of Pelicans are distributed throughout the warmer parts of the world. Three species are North American, of which two are exclusively maritime, while the third is found both on the coast and in the interior. Pelicans are gregarious and nest in large colonies. Their flight is strong but leisurely, six or seven wing- strokes being followed by a short sail, all the members of a flock flap- ping and sailing in unison. They feed on fish, for which some species plunge from the air, while others capture small fry with their scoop- like pouches while swimming. 125. Pelecanus erythrorhynchus G-mel. American White Pelican. Ad. in breeding plumage. — White, primaries black, whitish at the base ; an occipital crest and a horny prominence on the bill. Ad. in winter. — Similar, but without the crest or horny prominence. Im. — Similar, but top of the head brownish gray. L., 60-00 ; W., 22-00 ; Tar., 4-50 ; B., U-00. Range. — North America, now rare or accidental on the Atlantic coast; breeds from southern Minnesota northward ; winters along the Gulf coast. Washington, casual, four records. Long Island, A. V. Nest., of small sticks, on the ground. Eggs^ two to four, creamy or bluish white with a chalky deposit, more or less stained, 3-45 x 2-30. 96 PELICANS. The White Pelican winters in numbers on the Gulf coast of Fi.>rida and westward, but rarely occurs on the Atlantic coast. Its snowy- white plumage renders it conspicuous at a great distance, and a far- away Pelican on the water is sometimes mistaken for a distant sail. The White Pelican catches his food while swimming. A flock of Pelicans will sometimes surround a school of small fry and with beat- ing wings drive them toward the shore, all the time eagerly scooping the unfortunate fish into their great pouches. At the conclusion of a successful " drive " they go ashore or rest quietly on the water and devour their prey at leisure. They migrate by day — and perhaps by night also — flying at a great height, and sometimes pausing to sail in wide circles far up in the sky. 126. Pelecanus AiSCUS Linn. Brown Pelican. Ad. in breed- ing plumage. — Top of the head and a spot on the upper breast straw-yellow ; line down either side of the breast white ; hind head, neck, and a spot on the fore neck seal-brown ; sides and back silvery gray bordered by brownish black ; scapulars, wing-coverts, secondaries, and tail silvery gray ; primaries black ; under parts dark blackish brown narrowly streaked with white. Ad. after the breeding season. — Similar, but with the hind head and whole neck white, more or less tinged with straw-yellow. Im. — Similar to the preceding, but the head and neck grayish and rest of the plumage duller. L., 50*00 ; W., 19-50 ; Tar., 2-65 ; B., 11-00. Range. — Atlantic coast of tropical and subtropical America ; breeds abun- dantly along the Gulf coast and northward to South Carolina ; occasionally strays to Illinois and Massachusetts. Long Island, A. V. Nest., of sticks, in mangrove bushes or on the ground. Eggs^ two to five, similar in color to those of the preceding species, 3-00 x 1-95. Brown Pelicans are abundant residents on the Florida and Gulf coast. They are generally seen in flocks of four to eight birds flying one after the other. The leader beats time, as it were, and they all flap in unison for a certain number of wing-beats, then sail for a short distance, and then flap again. The coast line is their favorite high- way to and from their roosts or nesting grounds. They fly low over the water just outside the breakers, following the trough of the sea — now disappearing behind the advancing wall of water, now reappear- ing as the wave breaks on the shore. Unlike the White Pelican, this species secures his prey by diving. Singly, in pairs, or in small flocks, they beat back and forth, generally about twenty feet above the water, and when opportunity offers plunge downward with such force that the spray dashes high about them, and the resulting splash may be heard a half a mile. They sometimes catch fish twelve to fifteen inches in length, but as a rule feed on smaller ones. MAX-O'-VVAR BIRDS. 97 Family Fregatid^. Man-o'-war Birds. Man-o'-war Birds, or Frigate Birds, are found throughout inter- tropical seas. One of the two known species occurs in America. They are strictly maritime, and, while sometimes observed at great distances from the land, are met with in numbers only near the coasts. They have a greater expanse of wing in proportion to the weight of their body than any other bird, and in power of flight are unsurpassed. They rarely alight upon the water, but. facing the wind, pass hours resting motionless on outstretched wings, sometimes ascending to great heights and calmly soaring far above storms. It is when feed- ing that their marvelous aerial powers are displayed to the best advan- tage. By swift, indescribably graceful darts they secure fish which are near the surface or capture those which have leaped from the water to escape some enemy below. They also pursue Gulls and Terns, and, forcing them to disgorge their prey, catch it in midair. As a rule they are gregarious at all seasons, and nest and roost on bushes near the shore. 128. Fregata aquUa {Linn.). Man-o'-war Bird; Frigate Bird. (See Fig. 15.) Ad. S . — Entire plumage black, more glossy above. 9 .—Simi- lar, but browner ; lesser wing-coverts grayish brown ; breast and upper belly white. Iin. — Similar to the 9 , but whole head and neck white. L., 4000 ; W., 25-00; T., 17-00; B., 4-50. Range. — Tropical and subtropical coasts generally; in America north to Florida, Texas, and California, and casually to Kansas, Ohio, and Kova Scotia. Long Island, A. V., one record. Nest, of sticks, in colonies, on bushes or rocks. Egg^ one, chalky white, 2-65 X 1-75. This species is not uncommon on the coasts of southern Florida, but does not, so far as I know, nest there. It resembles other mem- bers of the family in habits. ORDER ANSERES. LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS. Family Anatid^. Ducks, Geese, and Swans. The two hundred species included in this family are placed in the five subfamilies, Mergince or Mergansers, Anatince or River Ducks, FuligulincB or Sea Ducks, Anserinm or Geese, and CygnincE or Swans. The characters given in the Key to Families should enable one to easily refer a specimen to its proper group. These subfamilies are so well defined that it seems advisable to treat of each one separately. 8 98 MERGANSERS. Aside from the general remarks at the head of each subfamily I can add little which will aid in the identification of the species in the field. Ducks are shy creatures, and familiarity with their habits is gained only by long experience. Subfamily Merginm. Mergansers. The Shelldrakes or Sawbills are fish-eating Ducks. They pursue and capture their prey under water, and their serrate bills seem espe- cially adapted to this mode of feeding. The flesh of adult Sheldrakes is rank and fishy; but the Hooded Merganser is an excellent table Duck. KEY TO SPECIES. A. Bill under 1-75, wing 8-00 or under .... 131. Hooded Merganser. B. Bill over 1-75, wing over 8-00. a. Head and throat black. ai. Breast and belly white, tinged with sahnon. 129. Am. Merganser ( $ ad.). a^. Breast brownish, thickly streaked and spotted with black. 130. Red-breasted Merganser ( i ad.). b. Head and sides of the neck rich rufous-brown; distance from nostril to end of billless than 1-50 . . . . 129. Am. Merganser ( 9 and im.). c. Crown grayish brown, more or less washed with cinnamon-rufous ; sides of the neck cinnamon-rufous ; distance from nostril to end of bill over 1'50 130. Eed-breasted Merganser ( 9 and im.). 129. Merganser asnericanus {Cass.). American Merganser; Goosander; Shelldrake. (See Fig. 16.) Ad. <5 . — Whole head and upper neck glossy greenish black ; hind neck, secondaries, lesser wing-coverts, and ends of greater ones white ; back black, rump and tail ashy gray ; breast and belly white, delicately tinged with salmon. Ad. 9 and Im. — Chin and upper throat white ; lower throat and entire top of the head rufous-brown ; rest of upper parts and tail ashy gray ; speculum * white ; breast and belly white. L., 25-00; W., 10-50; Tar., 1-85; B. from N., 1-50. Range. — North America generally ; breeds from Minnesota and southern New Brunswick northward ; winters from Kansas, Illinois, and Maine south- ward to South Carolina. Washington, rare W. V. Long Island, uncommon W. V., Nov. to Mch. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., Jan. 1 to Mch. 8. Cambridge, formerly common T. V., Oct.' to Dec. Nest., of leaves, grasses, and moss, lined with down, in a hole in a tree or cliff'. Eggs^ six to ten, creamy buff", 2-65 x 1-75. " This bird is fond of plunging beneath rushing currents for its food, and should it encounter a raft of floating rubbish or an ice-cake * A patch in the wing formed by the end half of the secondaries, which in Ducks are generally of a different color from the rest of the wing-feathers. MERGANSERS. 99 it will readily pass underneath it. It swims so deeply as to afford the gunner but a small mark, and dives so quickly at the snap or flash of his gun that he stands but a small chance of killing it. '* On being surprised the Goosander may rise directly out of the water, but more commonly pats the surface with his feet for some yards and then rises to windward. A whole flock thus rising from some foaming current affords a spirited scene. Once on the wing, the flight is straight, strong, and rapid " (Langille). 130* Merganser serrator {Linn.). Eed-breasted Merganseb; SnELLDRAKE. Ad. $ . — Whole head and throat black, more greenish above; a white ring around the neck; a broad cinnamon-rufous band with black streaks on the upper breast and sides of the lower neck ; lesser wing-coverts, tips of greater ones, secondaries, breast, and belly white; rump and sides finely barred with black and white. Ad. 9 and Im. — Top and back of head grayish brown washed with cinnamon-rufous ; sides of the head and throat cinnamon-rufous, paler on the throat; rest of under parts white; back and tail ashy gray ; speculum white. L., 22-00 ; W., 9-00 ; Tar., I'TO ; B. from K, 1-80. Remarlcs. — xldults of this and the preceding species may always be dis- tinguished by the color of the breast ; females and young, by the differently colored heads, while the position of the nostril is always diagnostic. Eange. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in America breeds from northern Illinois and New Brunswick northward to the arctic regions; winters from near the southern limits of its breeding range southward to Cuba. Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., Mch. 1 to May 1 ; Oct. 15 to Dec. 1, a few winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Dec. to Apl. 30. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. I\est., of leaves, grasses, mosses, etc., lined with down, on the ground near water, among rocks or scrubby bushes. Eggs., six to twelve, creamy buff, 2'55 X 1-75. This is a more common species than the preceding, which it resem- bles in habits. Its note is described as a " croak." 131* LiOphod.ytescucullatus(Z»w7i.). Hooded Merganser. Ad. $. — Front part of large circular crest black ; remaining part white, bordered by black ; rest of head, the neck, and back black ; breast and belly white; sides cinnamon-rufous, finely barred with black. Ad. 9 . — Upper throat white ; head, neck, and upper breast grayish brown, more or less tinged with cinnamon, especially on the small crest; lower breast and belly white; sides grayish brown; back fuscous. Im. — Similar, but with no crest. L., 17"50; W., 7*50; Tar., 1-10; B., 1-45. Range. — North America generally, south in winter to Cuba and Mexico; breeds locally throughout its North American range. Washington, uncommon W. V. Long Island, uncommon T. V., rare W. V., Nov. to May. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Mch. Cambridge, formerly common T. v., Oct. to bee. loo RIVER DUCKS. Kest^ of grasses, leaves, moss, etc., lined with down, in a hollow tree or stump near water. Eggs^ eight to ten, butty white, 2-10 x 1-75. According to Ernest E. Thompson, both the preceding species fre- quent chiefly " living " or running water, while this bird prefers " dead '' waters, or quiet ponds and lakes. In Florida it lives in small ponds in the hummocks, where one expects to find Wood Ducks, and feeds on roots, seeds, etc. It visits also the lakes frequented by Black Ducks. Mallards, and other AnatincB. The male is a striking bird in life, and can not be mistaken for any other species. Subfamily Anatince. Hirer and Pond Ducks. The Ducks of this subfamily are distinguished by the absence of a lobe on the hind toe. They are, for the most part, northern breeding birds, and appear on our waters chiefly as migrants. At this time they differ but little in habits, and as a rule frequent sluggish streams, shallow ponds, arms of bays, and marshes. In comparison with the deep-water Fuligulince they might be called "dabblers" or "tip-ups," and any one who has seen them dabbling along the shore, or with up- turned tail and head immersed probing the bottom in shallow water, like a flock of animated tenpins, will recognize the appropriateness of these terms. They feed upon mollusks, crustaceans, insects and their larvae, seeds and roots of aquatic plants. The "gutters" on the sides of the bill act as strainers, and, after probing the bottom, the mere act of closing the bill forces out the mud and water taken in with the food. As a rule, they feed more commonly by night than by day. They do not gather in such large flocks as the Sea Ducks, and in our waters are generally found in groups of less than fifty. They spring from the water at a bound, and on whistling wing are soon beyond the fowler's reach. Their speed is variously estimated for different species at a hundred to a hundred and sixty miles an hour. Doubtless the first-named distance is nearer the truth. Their nest is composed of twigs, rootlets, grasses, leaves, moss, feathers, etc., lined with down from the breast of the incubating bird. All our species, except the Wood Duck, place their nest on the ground, generally in grassy sloughs or marshes, but sometimes in dry places some distance from the water. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing under 8-50. a. Lesser wing-coverts gray. 139. Green-winged Teal. 138. European Teal. b. Lesser wing-coverts blue. b^. Cheeks slate-color, a broad white mark near the front of the face. 140. Blue-winged Teal ( 6 ad.). RIVER DUCKS. Id i^. Cheeks aud under parts chestnut-rufous. 141. Cinnamon Teal ( 6 ad.). c'l. Cheeks finely streaked with blackish. 6-3. Under parts whitish, sometimes washed with brownish, streaked or spotted with blackish 140. Blue-winged Teal ? . c". Under parts heavily waslied with chestnut-rulbus and mottled with black 141. Cinnamon Teal 9 . II Wing over 8"50. J. Belly white or grayish white, not conspicuously streaked or spotted. a. Whole head shining dark green lo2. Mallard ( $ ad.). b. Center of head white or whitish, a large streak behind the eye. 137. Baldpate ( S ad.). c. Throat white, crow^n green or grayish green, tips of primaries greenish. 144. Wood Duck. d Throat blackish, center of crown buffy, rest of head rufous. 130. Widgeon ( $ ad,). e. Throat and sides of head olive- brown, darker on the crown. 143. Pintail ( ? ad.). /. Throat, crown, and sides of head more or less finely streaked with blackish. J^. Wing-coverts with more or less chestnut .... 135.' Gadwall. ff^. No chestnut in wing-coverts. g^. Axillars* and sides barred with black .... 143. Pintail 9. ^s. Axillars white or speckled with black, sides plain brownish. 137. Baldpate 9 . g*. Axillars white, sides thickly spotted or barred with black. 135. Gadwall 9 . £. Under parts conspicuously mottled, spotted, or streaked, or feathers margined with chestnut-rufous. a. With white in w'ing-coverts. aK Lesser wing-coverts ashy blue 142- Shoveler 9 . fei. Lesser wing-coverts brownish gray, bordered with white or tipped with black. fta. Speculum t purple 132. Mallard 9. &3. Speculum gray and white 135. Gadwall 9 • J. No white in wing-coverts. a. Throat fulvous or buffy without streaks. . . 134. Florida Duck. b. Throat finely streaked with black 133. Black Duck. 0. Belly chestnut 142. Shoveler $ . 132. Anas boschas Linn. Mallard (see Fig. 17, a). Ad. S .— Whole head and throat glossy greenish or bluish black; a white ring around the neck ; breast rich chestnut ; belly grayish white, finely marked with wavy black lines ; under tail-coverts black ; upper back dark grayisli brown ; rump aud upper tail-coverts black ; longer upper tail-coverts recurved ; speculum rich purple, bordered at the base and tip by narrow bands of black a?id ivMte. Ad. 9 . — Top and sides of head streaked with fuscous and buffy ; back fuscous, * See Fig. 64. t A colored patch in the wing. 102 RIVER DUCKS. the feathers with internal rings or loops and sometimes borders of pale ochra- ceous butfy ; speculum as in the preceding ; breast and belly ochraceous butfy, mottled with dusky grayish brown. L., 23-00; W., 11-00; Tar., 1-75; B., 2-25. Range. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in America breeds in the interior from Indiana and Iowa, and on the Atlantic coast rarely south of Labrador, northward to the ai'ctic regions ; winters from southern Kansas and Delaware southward to Central America and the island of Granada. Washington, common W. V. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Sept. to Apl. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct., Mch. Eggs.^ six to ten, pale greenish or bluish white, 2-30 x 1-70. The Mallard is far more common in the interior than on the coasts. Its loud, sonorous quack is not distinguishable from that of its domes- ticated descendants. 133. Anas obscura Gmel. Black Duck; Dusky Duck. Ad.— Top of the head rich fuscous, slightly streaked with pale buffy ; sides of the head and throat pale butfy, thickly streaked with blackish ; rest of under parts fuscous brown, the feathers all bordered by ochraceous-buff ; back slightly darker and narrowly margined with buffy; speculum rich purple, bordered by black. L., 22-00; W., 11-00; Tar., 1-75; B., 2-20. Remarks. — Always to be distinguished from the Mallard by the lack of white in the wing. Range. — North America; breeds from Illinois and New Jersey to Hudson Bay and Labrador ; winters southward to the Greater Antilles. "Washington, common W. V. Long Island, abundant W. V., Sept. to May ; a few breed. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. K., Mch. 6 to Nov. 13. Cam- bridge, very common T. V., Mch. and Apl ; late Aug. to Nov. ; a few breed. Eggs., eight to twelve, pale greenish or bluish white, or creamy buff, 2-43 X 1-75. This species resembles the Mallard in general habits, and the voices of the two are indistinguishable. The Black Duck, however, is com- moner near the seacoasts, and when molested will sometimes pass the day at sea, returning at night to feed in the marshes and ponds near the shore. 134. Anas fiilvigula Ridgw. Florida Duck. Ad. — Top of head streaked with black and buffy ; sides of the head and entire throat butfy, without streaks ; rest of under parts rich butfy ochraceous, widely streaked with black; back black, the feathers broadly margined and sometimes inter- nally striped with ochraceous-buft"; speculum rich purple bordered by black ; bill olive-yellow, its nail black. L., 20-00; W., 10-50 ; Tar., 1-65 ; B., 2-05. Remarks. — Easily distinguished from A. obscura by the absence of streaks on the throat. Range. — Florida and Gulf coast to Louisiana. Eggs., eight to ten, pale dull buff or pale grayish buff, 2-15 x 1-61 (Ridgw.). This is a common resident species in Florida. Its habits and voic<» are practically the same as those of the Black Duck. RIVER DUCKS. 103 135. Anas Strepera Linn. Gadwall; Gray Duck. Ad. $ .— Top of the head streaked with rufous-brown and black ; sides of the head and neck pale butty, thickly streaked or spotted with black ; breast and neck all around black, each feather with a border and an internal ring of white, giving the plumage a beautifully scaled appearance ; belly white or grayish ; rump, upper and under tail-coverts black ; lesser wing-coverts chestwut. Ad. ? . — Head and throat as in the male ; back fuscous margined with buffy ; breast and sides ochraceous butty, thickly spotted with blackish ; belly and under tail-coverts white, more or less thickly spotted with blackish ; little or no chestnut on wing-coverts ; speculum ashy gray and white ; axillars and under wing-coverts jowre white. L., 19-60; W., 10-40; Tar., 1-55; B., 1-70. ^an^e.— Northern hemisphere ; in America, breeds in the interior locally from Kansas northward to the arctic regions ; known to breed on the Atlantic coast only at Anticosti ; winters from Virginia to Florida and Texas. Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, A. V. Eggs., eight to twelve, pale butt" or butty white, 2-09 x 1-57 (Eidgw.). This species is common in the interior and in Florida, but is rather rare in the other Atlantic States. Its call-note is said to resemble that of the Mallard, " but is rather more shrill, and frequently repeated." 136. Anas penelope Z^'/in. European AVidgeon. Ad. t. — Crown creamy butt'; throat blackish, rest of head and neck rufous-brown ; upper breast vinaceous, lower breast and belly white ; sides and back finely marked with wavy black and white lines. Ad. 9 . — Head and throat deep ochraceous- buff", finely streaked and barred with black, darker above ; upper breast and sides much the same color, but without black markings ; lower breast and belly white ; back grayish brown, the feathers with small ochraceous buffy bars; tertials fuscous, bordered by deep ochraceous hvffy ; greater wing-cov- erts hrownish gray., usually whiter on the outer webs and tipped with black. W., 10-50 ; B., 1-40. Remarks. — The females of the European and American Widgeons bear a general resemblance to one another. Their distinguishing characters are mainly in the color of the head and throat, which are brown in the European species, and in the color of the greater wing-coverts, which are v/hiter in the American bird. I have seen a caged male in the summer in a plumage closely resembling that of the female. Probably a similar change of plumage occurs in our A. americana. Range. — Northern parts of the Old World; in North America breeds in the Aleutian Islands, and occurs occasionally in the eastern United States. Washington, A. V., two records. Long Island, A. V. Eggs., five to eight, butty white, 2-23 x 1-53. "The call-note of the male is a shrill, whistling wMe-you, whence the local names ' Whew Duck ' and ' Whewer ' ; but the female utters a low purr-ing growl. Both sexes, however, rise in silence " (Saunders). 137. Anas americana Gmel. Baldpate; American Widgeon. Ad. i . — Middle of the crown white or butty ; sides of the crown, from the eye 104 RIVER DUCKS. to the nape, glossy green, more or less sprinkled with black ; lores, cheeks, and throat buffy, finely barred with black ; upper breast and sides vinaceous, the latter more or less tinely barred with wavy black lines ; lower breast and belly white; back grayish brown, more or less tinged with vinaceous and finely barred with black. Ad. 9 . — Head and throat white or pale, creamy buff, finely streaked and barred with black, darker above; upper breast and sides pale vinaceous washed with grayish ; lower breast and belly white ; back grayish brown, the feathers with small creamy buff bars ; tertials fuscous, bor- dered with whitish or creamy buff; greater wing-coverts brownish gray, their outer webs mostly or entirely tohite., their ends black, sometimes tipped with white. L., 19-00 ; W., 10-50 ; Tar., 1-50 ; B., 1-40. Range. — North America ; breeds in the interior regularly from Minnesota northward, and casually as far south as Texas ; not known to breed on the Atlantic coast ; winters from open water south to Central America and north- ern South America. Washington, common W. K., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, uncommon T. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 11 to Apl. 12 ; Oct. 4 to Oct. 28. Eggs.^ seven to twelve, buffy white, 2-05 x 1-50. Colonel N. S. Goss writes that, as a rule, Widgeons are " not shy, and their note, a sort of ivhew, whew, whew, uttered while feeding and swimming, enables the hunter to locate them in the thickest growth of water plants : and when in the air the whistling noise made by their wings heralds their approach." They are fond of wild celery, which they procure by robbing the Canvasback and other diving Ducks, " snatching their catch from their bills the moment their heads appear above the water." 139. Anas carolinensis Gmel. Green- winged Teal. Ad. $, . — Chin black, sides of the head from the eye to the nape shining green, rest of the head and neck rufous-chestnut; breast washed with vinaceous and spotted with black ; belly white ; sides finely marked with wavy black and white lines ; middle under tail-coverts black, lateral ones creamy buff; upper back like the sides, lower back grayish fuscous ; a white bar in front of the bend of the wing; wing-coverts brownish gray, tipped with ochraceous buffy. Ad. 9 . — Top of the head brownish fuscous, margined with cinnamon ; throat Q.nd sides of the neck white, finely spotted with black ; breast and sides Avashed with cinnamon and spotted or barred with black ; belly and under tail-coverts white, sometimes spotted with black ; back fuscous, the feathers with crescent-shaped marks of ochraceous buffy, and bordered with grayish; wings as in the male. L., 14-50 ; W., 7-00 ; Tar., 1-10 : B., 1-35. Range. — North America ; breeds from Minnesota and New Brunswick northward ; winters from Kansas and Virginia southward to the West Indies and Central America. Washington, common W. Y., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, uncommon T. V. and W. v., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. ; Sept. 11 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, uncommon T. V., Apl. ; Sept. to Nov. Eggs, six to twelve, buffy white or creamy buff, 1-80 x 1-25, RIVER DUCKS. 105 "In autumn the males usually keep in separate flocks from the females and youno:. Their notes are faint and piping, and their wings make a loud whistling during flight. . . ." (B., B., and R.). The European Teal {138. ^4/<(rw tvecca) is of casual occurrence in North America. The adult male resembles that of A. cai'olinemis., but the white bar in front of the wing is lacking, and the inner scapulars are creamy buff, with a sharply defined black mark on their outer webs. The female can not be distinguished from that of xi. carolinensis. 140. Anas discors Linn. Blue-winged Teal. Ad. $ . — Crown fuscous, chin and sides of the base of the bill black ; a broad white band across the front of the head, its hinder margin bordered by black ; rest of the head and throat dark ashy with purplish reflections ; breast and belly cinna- mon-rufous, thickly spotted with black ; back fuscous, the feathers with cres- cents of ochraceous-butf ; Usser and median wing-coverts grayish blue., end half of the greater ones white ; speculum green. Ad. 9 and 6 in summer. — Crown fuscous, lightly margined with grayish ; sides of the head and the neck whitish, finely spotted with blackish, except on the throat ; breast and belly with less cinnamon wash than in the preceding ; back and wrings quite similar to the preceding, but ochraceous bars sometimes wanting ; speculum darker and greater coverts with less white. L., 16-00 ; W., 7*25 ; Tar., 1-20 ; B., 1-r.o. Range. — Chiefly eastern North America; breeds from Kansas, northern Ohio, and New Brunswick northward ; winters from Virginia and the Lower Mississippi Valley to northern South America. Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V. in Sept., rare T. V. in spring. Sing Sing, common T. V. in fall, Sept. 24 to Oct. 17. Cambridge, rare in spring; .very common (at least formerly) Aug. to Oct. Eggs^ six to twelve, huffy white or creamy buff, 1-85 x 1-30. This generally silent species flies in densely massed, small flocks, which move as one bird. The white face-mark can be discerned at some distance, and, in connection with the bird's small size, is a good field-mark. The Cinnamon Teal {ll^l. Anas ci/a?iopter a), a sj)ecies of western North* America, sometimes occurs east of the Mississippi. It has been recorded from Illinois and Florida. The male has the under parts deep cinnamon; the female closely resembles the same sex of our Anas discors. 142. Spatula clypeata (Linn.). Shoveler. Ad. $ .—Head and neck fuscous, glossed with bluish green ; back and a broken line down the back of the lower neck fuscous ; rest of the lower neck and breast white ; lower breast and belly rufous-chestnut ; upper and under tail-coverts dark greenish ; lesser wing-coverts grayish blue, greater ones brownish gray tipped with Avhite; speculum green. Ad. 9 .—Throat huffy white ; head and neck streaked with bufly and black ; rest of under parts more or less washed with 106 RIVER DUCKS. buify ochraceous, everywhere indistinctly spotted with fuscous except on the middle of the belly ; back fuscous, the feathers with margins and internal crescents of whitish and bulfy ; wing-coverts and speculum much as in the male. Im. — The im. 5 is intermediate between the ad. 6 and 9 ; the im. 9 resemble the ad. 5 , but the wing-coverts are slaty gray, the speculum with little or no green. L., 20-00 ; W., 9-50 ; B., 2-50 ; greatest width of B., 1-20. ^a;?^^.— Northern hemisphere : in America, more common in the interior ; breeds regularly from Minnesota northward and locally as far south as Texas ; not known to breed in the Atlantic States ; winters from southern Illinois and Virginia southward to northern South America. Washington, not uncommon W. V. Long Island, rare T. V. Sing Sing, A. v., Oct. Eggs^ six to ten, pale buffy white or bluish white, 2-10 x 1-50, The Shoveler, like most of the members of this subfamily, is more common in the Mississippi Valley than on the coast. It is generally a silent bird, but its note in the breeding season is said to be " iook^ tooky It feeds largely by tipping in shallow water. 143. Dafila acuta {Linn.). Pintail; Sprigtail. Ad. ^ .— Head and throat olive-brown ; back of the neck blackish, bordered by white stripes, which pass to the breast ; breast and belly white ; the abdomen faintly and the sides strongly marked with wavy lines of black and white ; back some- what darker than the sides ; scapulars black, bordered or streaked with butfy white ; wing-coverts brownish gray, the greater ones tipped with rufous ; speculum green ; central tail-feathers glossed with green and much elongated. Ad. 9 . — Throat white or whitish, crown and sides of the head streaked with blackish and buffy ochraceous, darker above ; breast washed with buffy ochraceous and spotted with blackish ', belly white ; abdomen more or less indistinctly mottled with blackish ; sides with bars and lengthened black and white crescents; under wing-coverts fuscous., ho?'dered with whitish; axillars barred or mottled with black ; back fuscous, the feathers with borders, bars, or crescents of white or buffy ; speculum grayish brown bordered Avith white. 6 in breeding plumage.^'''- Similar to ad. 9 , but wings as in spring or winter plumage" (Eidgw.). Im. — The im. $ is variously intermediate between the ad. 3 and 9 ; the im. 9 resembles the ad. 9 , but the under parts are more heavily streaked or spotted. L., 6 , 28-00, 9 , 22-00 ; W., 10-00 ; T., 6 , 7-50, 9 , 3-60 ; B., 2-00. Eemarks. — The female of this species is a rather obscure-looking bird, but may always be known by its broad, sharply pointed central tail-feathers and dusky under wing-coverts. Range. — Northern hemisphere ; in America, breeds from Iowa and Illinois to the Arctic Ocean ; not known to breed on the Atlantic coast ; winters from Virginia southward to the Greater Antilles and Central America. Washington, W. V,, Oct. to Apl. Long Island, very common T. V., Sept. 15 to Apl. 15 ; a few winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 15 to Apl. 10; Sept. 26 to Dec. 4. Cambridge, casual T. V., Apl. ; Sept. and Oct. Eggs., eight to twelve, bully white or pale bluish white, 2-20 x 1-50. SEA DUCKS. 107 The Pintail is frequently found associated with the Black Duck and Widgeon. As a rule it is voiceless, but is said to utter "a low- toned quack at night." The long neck and tail of the male make its identification easy even at a distance. 144. Aix sponsa {Linn.). Wood Duck. Ad. $. — A line from the bill over the eye, a similar line at the base of the side of the crest, and some of the elongated crest- feathers white ; throat, a band from it up the side of the head, and a wider one to the nape, white ; rest of the cheeks and crown green with purplish reflections; a white band in front of the wings; breast and a spot at either side of the base of the tail purplish chestnut, the former spotted with white ; belly white ; sides bufty ochraceous, finely barred with black, the longer flank feathers tipped with wider bars of black and white ; back greenish brown; scapulars blacker; speculum steel-blue; primaries tipped with greenish blue. — Ad. 9 . — Throat and a stripe from the eye back- ward white ; crown purplish brown ; sides of the head ashy brown ; breast and sides grayish brown streaked with bufly ; belly white ; back olive-brown glossed with greenish ; inner primaries tipped with greenish blue. Im. — The im. 6 resembles the 9 . L., 18-50 ; W., 9-00 ; Tar., 1-35 ; B., 1-30. Range. — North America ; breeds from Florida to Hudson Bay, and winters southward to southern Mexico, Cuba, and Jamaica. Washington, uncommon P. E. Long Island, uncommon T. V. and W. V., Sept. to Apl. ; rare S. R. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. E. Cambridge, common T. V., Mch. and Apl. ; Aug. to Nov. ; a few breed. Nest., of grasses, leaves, twigs, etc., in a hole in a tree or stump. Eggs.^ eight to fourteen, pale butty white, 2-05 x 1-50. Woodland ponds and forest-bordered streams make a proper setting for the grace and beauty of these richly attired birds. Several times it has been my fortune to see them in the unconscious enjoyment of their secluded homes, and I know of no sight in the bird world which so fully satisfies the eye. Alarm them, and with a frightened, plaintive whistle, " oo-eek,'' they spring from the water and make otf through the woods. At other times they will swim ahead of one's canoe, and, rounding a bend in the stream, go ashore and walk rapidly away. The young are brought from the nest to the ground in the bill of the parent. Subfamily Fuligulinm. Bay and Sea Ducks. The members of this subfamily are to be distinguished from those of the preceding by the presence of a lobe or web on the hind toe. They are open-water Ducks, frequenting our large lakes, bays, and sea- coasts. Their food consists chiefly of mollusks, crustaceans, and the seeds and roots of aquatic plants. They obtain it principally by div- ing, sometimes descending one hundred and fifty feet or more. The 108 SEA DUCKS. bill, as in the Anatinm, acts as a sieve or strainer. As a rule they feed by day and pass the night at a distance from the shore or at sea. Some of the species occur in our waters in large flocks — indeed, our most abundant Ducks are members of this subfamily. With one exception they are northern breeding birds, seldom nesting south of our north- ern tier of States. Their nest is composed of twigs, leaves, grasses, stems of aquatic plants, seaweed, etc., lined with down from the breast of the incubat- ing bird. KEY TO THK SPECIES. I. Feathers at the base of the bill not reaching -50 forward along its sides, A. Wing over 7'00 ; axillars and most if not all the linings of the wings white. a. Head and neck black, with greenish or purplish reflections. «!. Back black ; bill with a bluish band near its tip. 150. EiNG-NECKED DuCK $ . b^. Back finely barred with black and white. b^. Back of head generally with purplish reflections ; wing generally under 8-25 ; nail of bill generally under "25 in width. 149, Lessek Scaup Duck $. &3, Back of head generally with greenish reflections ; wing gener- ally over 8-25 ; nail of bill over -25 in width. 148. Am. Scaup Duck S . b. Head and neck rufous or rufous-brown, sharply defined from the black breast. b^. Head and upper neck I'ich rufous ; bill 2-00 or under ; fianks finely barred, like the back 146. liEDHEAo $. b^. Head and neck rufous-brown ; crown blackish ; bill over 2*00 ; flanks very slightly if at all barred 147, Canvasback 6 . c. Head and neck brownish or grayish. ci. A white patch in the wing. 6-2. Feathers at base of bill white ; wing generally under 8-25 : nail of bill generally under -25 in width . , 149, Lesser Scaup Duck 9 • c3. Feathers at base of bill white ; wing generally over 8*25 ; nail of bill generally over -25 in width . . . 148. Am. Scaup Duck ? - d^. No white in wing. 6^2. An indistinct bluish band near the tip of bill ; bill under 2-00, d^. Wing under 8-00 150. Eing-necked Duck 9. d*. Wing over 8-00 146, Eedhead 9 . e^. No band on bill ; bill over 2-00 147. Canvasback 9.. £. Wing over 7"00 ; axillars and most if not all the under wing-coverts blackish. a. Head and throat dark steel-blue or steel -green, ai. Head and throat steel-blue ; white patch at base of bill 1*00 or more in lieight 152, Barkow's Golden-eye $ , a'. Head and throat steel-green ; white patch at base of bill less than 1-00 in height 151, Am, Golden-eye 6. SEA DUCKS. 109 b. Whole head and throat brown, sharply defined from the gray or -white neck ; a white patch (speculum) in the wing. b^. Nostril nearer the tip than the base of the bill, 151. Am. Golden-eye 9 , b^. Nostril in the middle of the bill . 152. Barrow's Golden-eye 9 . c. Whole head and neck black 163. Am. Sc(»ter $ . d. A white patch on the top of the head and another on the back of the neck 166. Surf Scoter <5 . e. Middle of crown black, bordered by chestnut ; front half of the face white 155. Harlequin Duck $ . J. Head and neck whitish, grayish, or brownish ; no white in the wing. /I. Bill over 1-25. /*. Feathers on culmen reaching much farther forward than those at the sides of the bill 166. Surf Scoter 9 . /^. Feathers on culmen reaching little if any beyond those at the sides of the bill 163, Am. Scoter ? . g^. Bill under 1-25. ff^. Central tail-feathers longest, sharply pointed , under tail-coverts white 154. Old Squaw. ff^. Central tail-feathers not sharply pointed ; under tail-coverts gray- ish brown 155. Harlequin Duck. C. Wing under 7-00. a. Tail-feathers stiff and narrow ; upper tail-coverts very short. a^. Upper parts mostly rich chestnut-rufous. a". Cheeks white 167. EuddyDuck,?. a^. Cheeks black 168. Masked Duck <$ . b^. Upper parts grayish or brownish, with sometimes rufous markings. b^. Lining of wing blackish ; under parts grayish. 168. Masked Duck 9. b^. Lining of w:ing whitish ; under parts grayish. 167. Ruddy Duck 9 . b. Tail-feathers normal ; upper tail-coverts about half as long as tail. 153. Bufflehead. IL Feathers at sides or top of bill extending forward generally as far as nostril. A. Feathers on sides of bill not reaching nostril. a. Nostril narrow, elongate ; feathers on culmen extending forward in a narrow line, a V-shaped mark on throat .... 162. King Eider. b. Nostril large, rounded; feathers on culmen not extending forward in a narrow line 165. White-winged Scoter. -S. Feathers on sides of bill extending as far as nostril. a. Bare base of bill on top narrow, ending posteriorly in a sharp point. 159. Greenland Eider. b. Bare base of bill on top broad, the posterior end rounded. 160. Am. Eider. The Rufous-crested Duck (145. Netta rufina) is an Old- World species which has been taken once in America. The record is based on an immature male found in Fulton Market, New York city, which was supposed to have been shot on Long Island. 110 SEA DUCKS. 146. Aythya americana {Eyt.). Kedhead. Ad. 4.— Head and throat bright rufous ; lower neck, breast, back of the neck, and upper back black ; rest of the back and scapulars finely barred with wavy black and white lines 0^ equal width; wing-coverts brownish gray; upper tail-coverts black; belly w^hite, the lower belly more or less finely barred with black ; under tail- coverts black ; sides lihe the back. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts dark grayish brown, darker on the rump, the feathers more or less margined with buff'y or ashy ; sides of the head lighter; upper throat white; neck bufty ochraceous; breast and sides grayish brown, more or less washed or margined with bufty or buff'y ochraceous ; belly white ; lower belly and under tail-coverts tinged with ochraceous ; an indistinct bluish-gray band across the end of the bill. L., 19-00 ; W., 8-90 ; Tar., 1-55 ; B., 1-85. Jiemarks. — This species is frequently confused w^ith tlie Canvasback, from which it may be distinguished by the characters given under that species. The female Redhead is much like the female Ring-neck in coloration ; the latter is generally browner, but they can be distinguished with certainty only by the dift'erence in their size. Range. — North America; breeds from California and Minnesota north- ward to the fur countries ; rare on the North Atlantic coast, where it has been found breeding only once (Calais, Me.) ; winters from Virginia southward to Cuba and Jamaica. Washington, common W. V. Long Island, T. V. in irregular numbers, Oct. 1 to Apl. 15, few W. V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 1 to Apl. 24; Oct. 12 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, casual ; one instance, Oct. Nest^ on the ground in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs^ six to twelve, buff'y white, 2-40 x 1-70. The Ducks of the genus Aythya possess to some extent the habits of both the River Ducks and true Sea Ducks. They are divers in deep water, but along the shores or in shallow water they are also " dab- blers." On our coasts the Redhead is a Bay Duck, and feeds in salt and brackish water. 147. Aythya vallisneria {Wils.). Canvasback. Ad. 4 .—Head and neck rufous-brown, the chin and crown generally blackish ; breast and upper back black ; rest of the back and generally wing-coverts finely barred with wavy lines of black and white, the white lines the wider ; belly white ; lower belly more or less finely barred with black ; upper and under tail-cov- erts black ; sides white., much less lightly barred with wavy black lines than the back, or even entirely without bars. Ad. 9 . — Head, neck, upper breast, and upper back cinnamon, the throat lighter, and, with the front parts of the head, more or less washed with rufous; back grayish brown, the feathers more or less barred with wavy ivhite lines; belly white or grayish white; sides the same or grayish brown, generally marked like the back. L., 21*00 ; W., 9-00; Tar., 1-60; B., 2-40. EemarTcs. — This species is sometimes mistaken for the Redhead, to which it bears a general resemblance. The males of the two species may be distin- guished (1) by the color of the head and neck, which is rufous in the Red- SEA DUCKS. Ill head and rufous-brown in the Canvasback ; (2) by the generally blackish chin and crown of the Canvasback, these parts in the Redhead being colored like the rest of the head; (3) by the difference in the markings of the back, wing-coverts, and sides ; and (4) by the difference in the size and shape of the bill, as shown by the accompanying measurements. The females of the two species may be at once distinguished by the color of the back, which in the Canvasback is finely barred with wavy white lines, markings which do not appear on the back of the female Redhead. Range. — North America ; breeds only in the interior, from Minnesota to the Arctic Circle ; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Delaware ; winters from the Chesapeake Bay to the Greater Antilles. Washington, rare W. V. Long Island, rare T. V. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. Nest^ on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. -Eggs., six to ten, bufty white with a bluish tinge, 2-40 x 1-70. There's much in a name. The reputation of the Canvasback, among gourmands^ is too firmly established to be questioned ; but, given the same chef, and half a dozen of our Ducks can be made to do duty for this favorite of epicures. In some parts of the west, where folks have a way of thinking for themselves, the Canvasback is frankly placed second to his cousin the Redhead. The Canvasback is at its best when the bird has been for some time feeding on wild celery — a diet which equally improves the flesh of other species. 148. Aythya maxdla nearctica Stejn. Am. ScattpDuck : Greater Scalp Duck ; Broadbill ; Blvebill ; Blackhead. Ad. i . — Head, neck, breast, and upper back black, the top and sides of the head with generally greenish reflections ; back and scapulars with wavy black and white bars ; speculum white ; upper and under tail-coverts black ; belly white ; lower belly strongly and sides faintly marked with wavy black bars. Ad. 9 . — Region around the base of the bill white ; head, neck, breast, and upper back umber, margined with ochraceous on the breast; back and scapulars fuscous- brown ; sides dark grayish brown, both generally marked with fine, wavy bars of white; speculum and belly white. ,3 L., 18-50; W., 8-75; Tar., 1-40; B., 1-65; greatest width of B., 1-00. 9 L., 17-50; W., 8-25; Tar., 1-36; B., 1-65; greatest wddth of B., 1-00. Range. — North America; breeds in the interior rarely from Minnesota and regularly from Manitoba northward to Alaska; reported on the Atlan- tic from as far north as Greenland, but not known to breed and not common north of Massachusetts ; wintei-s from Long Island to northern South America. Washington, rather common W. V. Long Island, abundant T. V., Sept. 25 to May 1, some winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 22 to Apl. 13; Oct. 4 to Dec. 3.* * The presence or absence of Ducks in the winter depends upon whether the river is frozen or open. 112 SEA DUCKS. Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs, six to ten, pale olive-butt", 2-54 x 1-71. This is one of our most common Bay Ducks. While with us it seems to prefer salt and brackish water. It feeds largely on mollusks, which it obtains by diving. Its note is said to be a discordant scaup. 149. Aytbya affinis [Eyt.). Lesser Scaup Duck; Little Black- head; Little Bluebill ; Creek Broadbill. Ad. 5. — Similar to the pre- ceding species but smaller, the head, as a rule, glossed with purplish instead of greenish, and the flanks strongly instead of faintly marked with wavy black bars. Ad. 9 . — Similar to the 9 of the preceding species, but smaller. 3 L., 16-50; W., 8-00; Tar., 1-35; B., 1-60; greatest width of B., -95. 9 L., 16-50; W., 7-60; Tar., 1-30; B., 1-55; greatest width of B., -90. liemar'ks.—'Y:\\ii Scaup Ducks resemble each other so closely that it is sometimes impossible to tell them apart, but they may generally be distin- guished by the characters given above. Range.— ^ox\X\ America; breeds only in the interior, rarely from Iowa and commonly from Manitoba northward; not common on the Atlantic coast north of Massachusetts ; winters from Virginia to the Greater Antilles. Washington, not uncommon W. E., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Jan. 28 to Apl. 12; Aug. 31 to Nov. Cam- bridge, common in Oct. and Nov. ; rare in spring. Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs and marshy lake sides. Eggs, six to ten, similar in color to those of the preceding, 2-25 x 1-58. This species has much the same habits as the preceding, but is more often found in fresh water, and I think is more southern in its distri- bution during the winter. It is by far the most abundant Duck in Florida waters at that season, where it occurs in enormous flocks in the rivers and bays along the coasts. 150. Aythya coilaris {Donov.). Eing-necked Duck. Ad. 6 .— Chin lohite ; head, neck, breast, and upper back black, the head with bluish reflections, the neck with a not sharply deflned chestnut collar; back and scapulars blach, speculum gray ; upper and under tail-coverts black, belly white, lower belly and sides finely barred with wavy black lines ; bill black, the base and a band across the end hluish gray. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts fus- cous brown, more or less margined with ochraceous ; speculum gray ; sides of the head and neck mixed grayish brown and white ; breast, sides, and lower belly grayish brown, more or less margined with ochraceous; upper belly white or whitish ; bill blackish, an indistinct band of bluish gray across its end. L., 16-50; W., 7-50 ; Tar., 1-25; B., 1-80. EemarJcs. — The niale Ring-neck may be known from any of its allies by its chestnut collar and other excellent characters ; the female resembles the female Kedhead, but is smaller and generally browner. Range. — North America, breeding only in the interior from Iowa north- ward ; not common on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. SEA DUCKS. * 113 "Washington, not rare, W. V. Long Island, A. V. Sing Sing, A. V., Apl. Cambridge, casual ; one instance, Nov. Xest^ on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs^ six to twelve, similar in color to those of the two preceding species, 2'28 x 1-63. This is more of a fresh-water bird tlian either of the preceding. It is not common in tlie Atlantic States north of P'lorida, where during the winter il is abundant on fresh-water lakes. 151. Glaucionetta clangula aznericana [Bonap.). American (tolden-eye ; Whistler. Ad. 6. — Head and throat dark, glossy green., a circular white patch at the base of the bill measuring, along the bill, less than half an inch in height; neck all around, breast, belly, exposed part of wing-coverts, speculum, and most of the scapulars white ; rest of plumage black. Ad. $ .—Head and throat cinnamon-brown, fore neck white ; upper breast, back, and sides ashy gray bordered with grayish : wing-coverts tipped with white ; speculum, lower breast, and belly white. L., 20-00 ; W., 9-00 ; B. from anterior margin of white patch to anterior margin of nostril, 1-00; from anterior margin of nostril to tip, '75. Range. — North America, breeding from Manitoba and Maine northward, and wintering from the southern limit of its breeding range to Cuba. Washington, not rare, W. V. Long Island, common T. V. and W. V., Nov. 15 to Apl. 15. Sing Sing, common T. V. and W. V., Nov. to May. Cambridge, rather common, Oct. and Nov. Kest., in a stump or hollow tree. Eggs., six to ten, pale bluish, 2'35 x 1'75. The rapidly moving wings of most Ducks make a whistling sound, but this species excels in wing music. As a diver it can also claim high rank. 152. Glaucionetta islandica {Gmel). Barrow's Golden-eye. Ad. 6 .—Head and throat dark, glossy, purplish blue, an irregular, somewhat spread-iving-shaped white patch at the base of the bill measuring, along the bill, about one inch in height ; neck all around, breast, belly, speculum, lesser wing-coverts, ends of greater ones, and the shaft part of the scapulars white ; rest of the plumage black. Ad. 9 .— Kesembles the 9 of the preceding species in color; there is some difference in the size and proportions of the bill, but the two birds can not always be distinguished with certainty. W., 9-25: B. from anterior margin of white patch to anterior margin of nostril, -80 ; from anterior margin of nostril to tip, -66. Kernarlcs.—ThQ males of this and the preceding species may ahvays be distinguished by the ditference in the color of the head and size and shape of the white spot at the base of the bill. i?ar^/5re.— Breeds in the far north— Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska— and southward in the Kocky Mountains; winters as far south as Illinois and Vir- ginia. Washington, A. V.. one record. Long Island, A. V. jS^est, in a stump or hollow tree. Eggs, six to ten, pale bluish, 2-40 x 1-70. 114 SEA DUCKS. A more northern species than the preceding, which it resembles in habits. 153. Charitonetta. albeola (Z«««.)- Bufflehead; Butter-ball; Spirit Duck. Ad. i . — A broad white band passes around the back of the head from eye to eye ; rest of the head, upper neck, and throat beautifully glossed with purple, greenish, and bluish ; loAver neck all around, breast, belly, wing-coverts, speculum, and outer scapulars white ; back black ; upper tail- coverts and tail ashy-grayish. Ad. 9 . — A white patch on either side of the head, throat, and entire upper parts fuscous-brown ; speculum, breast, and belly white. L., 14-75 ; W., 6-50 ; Tar., 1-25 ; B., 1-05. i^a;<^e.—Korth America ; breeds from Iowa and Maine northward ; win- ters from near the southern limit of its breeding range to the West Indies and Mexico. Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V. and W. v., Oct. 1 to Apl. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. Cambridge^ common in Oct. and Nov. Ae«^, in d stump or hollow tree. -Eggs, six to twelve, dull light bull", 1-98 X 1-46 (Eidgw.). This small Duck has won deserved distinction through its powers as a diver. Like the Grebes, it "dives at the flash," though this well- worn expression has lost half its meaning since flintlocks and percus- sion caps have become things of the past. The Bufflehead feeds to some extent on small fish, whicli it pursues and catches under water. 154. Clasigula byemalis (Linn.). Old Squaw ; Old "Wife; South Southerly. Ad. 5 in ivhiter. — Sides of the front of the head washed with grayish brown , sides of the back of the head and sides of the upper neck black, more or less margined with ochraceous; rest of the head, neck all around, upper back, scapulars, and lower belly white ; back, breast, and upper belly black ; tail pointed, the middle feathers very long and narrow ; band across the end of the bill yellowish orange. Ad. $ in summer. — Sides of the front of the head white; crest of the head, neck, throat, breast, and upper belly black; back and scapulars black, the latter margined with dark buffy ochraceous ; lower belly white ; tail and bill as in the preceding. 9 in winter. — Upper parts black or fuscous; scapulars and tipper back more or less margined with grayish or grayish brown ; sides of the head and neck and sometimes the back of the neck white or whitish ; breast grayish ; belly white ; tail pointed, but without the long feathers of the male ; under wing- coverts dark. Ad. 9 in summer. — Generally similar to the above, but the sides of the head and throat mostly blackish, and the feathers of the upper parts more or less margined with ochraceous. L., $ , 21-00, 9 , 10-00 ; W., 8-60; T., 3, 8-00, 9, 2-50; B., 1-05. Eemarlcs. — The male Old Squaw is too distinct to be confused with any other species, its long tail-feathers boiufr its most striking character; the female bears some resemblance to the female of the Harlequin Duck, but has the belly pure white instead of grayish dusky. SEA DUCKS. 115 Range. — Northern hemisphere ; breeds in the far north, and, in America, winters as far south as the upper Mississippi Valley and Virginia. Washington, rare W. V., Nov. to Apl. Long Island, abundant W. V., Nov. 1 to Apl. 15. Sing Sing, tolerably common W. V., Dec. 4 to Apl. 6. Cambridge, rather common in Oct. and Nov. Ae«^, on the ground near water, under low bushes or tall grasses. Ecjgs.^ six to twelve, pale bluish tinged with olive, 2-05 x 1-49. In The Auk for 1892, pp. 330-337, Mr. George H. Mackay gives a capital account of the habits of this species in our waters. He speaks of them as the swiftest flying as well as the noisiest (in the spring) of all the sea fowl which tarry with us, and gives their curious scolding or talking notes as o-onc-o-onc-ough, egh-ough-egh. Their flight is gen- erally near the water, and when shot at while flying they sometimes dive from the wing. He also mentions their habit of towering, " usually in the afternoon, collecting in mild weather in large flocks if undis- turbed, and going up in circles so high as to be scarcely discernible, often coming down with a rush and great velocity, a portion of the flock scattering and coming down in a zigzag course similar to the Scoters when w^histled down." 155. Histrionicushistrionicus(Z*n ??..). Harlequin Duck. Ad.i. --Center of the crown black, iiiaririncd by white and rufous : front of the sides of the head, a spot on the ear, a sti'ipe back of it, and a collar around the back and sides of the neck white ; rest of the head and throat rich slaty blue ; a band in front of the wing white, margined with black ; inner scapulars white; back and breast bluish slate ; belly fuscous ; sides rufous-chestnut. Ad. § . — Front of the head whitish ; a white spot on the ears ; upper parts brownish fuscous ; throat, breast, and sides lighter; belly grayish brown, margined with whitish. L., 17-00 ; W., 7-80 ; Tar., 1-50 ; B., 1-05. Banqe.—'-'- Northern North America, breeding from Newfoundland, the northern Eocky Mountains, and the Sierra Nevada, northward; south in winter to the Middle States and California" (A. O. U.). Long Island, rare W. V. Ned, on the ground or in hollow stumps near water. Egg^, six to eight, yellowish buff or greenish yellow, 2-30 x 1-62 (Davie). Unlike other members of this subfamily, this species passes the breeding season on rapid dashing streams, but during the winter it occurs as a Sea Duck off our more northern coasts. 156. Camptolaimi&s labradorius {GmeL). Labrador Duck; Pied Duck. Ad. $ .—Center of crown black ; rest of head, throat, and upper neck white: a black band around the lower neck connected behind with the black back ; primaries fuscous, rest of wing white ; front and sides of the upper breast white, lower breast and belly black. Ad. 9 .—Brownish gray, the speculum white. Im. $ .—Like the 9 , but with the throat and ends of the greater wing-coverts white. L., 20-00 ; W., 8-40 ; Tar., 1-50 ; B., 1-58. \IQ SEA DUCKS. Bange. — Formerly, North Atlantic coast, breeding from Labrador north- ward, and in winter migrating southward to Long Island ; doubtless now extinct. In a recent paper* on this species Mr. William Dutcher quotes the late Mr. George N. Lawrence, as follows : " I recollect that about forty or more years ago it was not unusual to see them in Fulton Market, and without doubt killed on Long Island; at one time I remember seeing six fine males, which hung in the market until spoiled for want of a purchaser ; they were not considered de- sirable for the table, and collectors had a sufficient number, at that time a pair being considered enough to represent a species in a col- lection." The cause of this Duck's extinction is unknown. The last speci- men, so far as known, was taken at Grand Menan in 1871. f Forty-two specimens have been recorded as existing in collections. Steller's DrcK (157. Eniconetta stelleri), an arctic species, was observed by Kuralien in Greenland. 159. Somateria mollissixna borealis {BreJim). Greenland Eider. Ad. 6 . — Top of tlie liead bhxek, a greenish white line on the crown; rest of the head, throat, neck, upper breast, back, scapulars, and lesser wing- coverts white, tinged with greenish on the sides and back of the head, and with vinaceous on the breast; middle of the rump, upper and under tail- coverts, lower breast, and belly black. Ad. 9 . — Head, throat, and neck buffy ochraceous, darker above and streaked with black ; back black, the feathers all widely margined and sometimes partly barred with buffy ochraceous ; breast buffy ochraceous, barred with black ; belly grayish brown or olive- brown, indistinctly margined or barred with buffy. Im. — Similar, but dis- tinctly marked with buffy. L., 23-00 ; W., 11-00 ; Tar., 1-80 ; B., 2-10. i?a/?(7e.— Breeds from Labrador northward ; winters southward to Maine. Nest., on the ground, amid coarse herbage and rocks. Eggs., live to eight, pale bluish or greenish, tinged with olive, 2-95 x 2-00. This is the American representative of the Eider Duck of north- ern Europe, from which it differs only slightly. The highly prized Eider down is taken from the nest of this bird and its allies. As in- cubation progresses the sitting bird plucks the down fi-om her breast to serve as a nest lining. In Iceland, according to Saunders, the aver- age yield from each nest is about one sixth of a pound. When the females begin to sit the males leave them and, gathering in small flocks, live at sea. 160. Somateria dresseri Sharpe. American Eider. Eesembles the preceding in color, but differs in the feathering of the base of the cul- * The Auk, vol. viii, 1891, pp. 201-216. t Ibid., vol. xi, 1894, pp. 4-12. SEA DUCKS. 117 men. In both species the culmen is divided by a wedge of feathers reaching forward from the foreliead. Looked at from the tip of the bill, the base of the culmen is thus V-shaped. In dresseri the arms of the V are very broad and rounded at the ends, while in horeaUs they are much narrower and gen- erally pointed at the ends. L., 23-00 ; W., 11-30 ; Tar., 1-70 ; B., 2-10. Range. — Breeds from the Bay of Fundy to Labrador ; winters southward to Delaware ; occasional in winter on the Great Lakes. Long Island, rai'e W. V^. Sing Sing, A. V., Dec. JSest^ on the ground, generally sheltered by rocks. Eggs., five to eight, pale bluish or greenish, tinged with olive, 3'00 x 2*00. This species is of more southern distribution than the preceding, which it resembles in habits. During their visits to the coasts of the United States the Eiders are true Sea Ducks, living some distance off shore, generally over a bed of mussels, which they secure by diving, and which constitute their chief food. 162. Somateria spectabilis {Linn.). King Eider. Ad. t .— Region about the base of the upper mandible and a large V-shaped mark on the throat black ; top of the head bluish gray ; cheeks greenish ; neck all around white; front and sides of the breast creamy butf; upper back, sides of the i-ump, and wing-coverts white ; rest of the plumage black. Ad. 9 . — Head and throat bulfy ochraceous, the former streaked with black ; back black, the feathers widely margined with ochraceous or rufous ; under parts varying from brownish gray to fuscous, more or less washed, especially on the breast, with ochraceous or rufous. Im. — Paler and with less ochraceous. L., 23-00 ; W., 10-80 ; Tar., 1-80 ; B., 1-30. Remarlcs. — The adult male of this species may at once be known by its bluish-gray head and the V-shaped mark on its throat. Females and young birds resemble those of the two preceding species, but are to be distinguished by the generally unstreaked throat and the feathering of the side of the base of the bill, Avhich in this species does not, as. in the two preceding, reach to the nostril. Range. — Breeds from Gulf of St. Lawrence northward, and winters south- ward more or less regularly to Long Island and the Great Lakes ; casually as far as Virginia, and on one occasion Georgia. Long Island, regular W. V. Xest., on the ground, among rocks or herbage. Eggs., six to ten, light olive- gray to grayish green, 3-12 x 1-92 (Davie). While in our waters this species does not differ from the preceding in habits. 163« Oidemia americana Sw. and Ricli. American Scoter; Black Coot. Ad. 3 . — Entire plumage black, feathers on the side of the bill extending little if any forward beyond the corner of the mouth ; bill black; upper mandible orange or yellowish at the base. L., 19-00; W., 9-00; Tar., 1-70 ; B. along culmen, 1-75 ; B. along side, 1-85. Range. — Coasts and larger lakes of northern North America; breeds in 118 SEA DUCKS. Labrador and the northern interior; south in winter to Virginia, the Great Lakes, and California. Washington, casual W. V. Long Island, common W. V., Oct. through Apl. Sing Sing, rare T. Y., Oct. Cambridge, occasional in fall. Nest^ on the ground, near water. Ecjgs^ " six to ten, pale dull buff' or pale brownish butf, 2-55 x 1-80" (Kidgw.). All three species of Surf Scoters, or " Coots,'' are abundant winter residents off the coasts of the New England and northern Middle States. At this time their habits are practically alike — indeed, they are often found associated. As a rule, they frequent only the sea and its estuaries, where they live over beds of mussels, clams, or scallops, which they obtain by diving ; but they are sometimes found in ponds near the coast, where food of this nature is abundant. In The Auk for 1891, pp. 279-290, Mr. George H. Mackay gives the results of a long-continued study of Scoters on the Massachusetts coast. The Velvet Scoter {I64. Oidemia fvsca) is an Old- World species which has been recorded from Greenland. 165. Oidemia de^landi Bonap. White-winged Scoter; White- winged Coot. Ad. 6 . — A spot below the eye and the speculvm white^ rest of the plumage black; bill orange-black at the base, the feathers on it reach- ing forward far beyond the corners of the mouth. Im. $ . — Grayish or fus- cous-brown, lighter below ; specuhtm wldte^ feathers at the base of the upper bill and a spot on the ears whitish. Ad. in winter and Im. 9 . — Similar to the preceding, but generally without whitish spots on the head. L., 2?/00 ; W., 11-00 ; Tar., 2-00 ; B. along culmen, 1-50; B. along side, 1-55. Remarlcs.—Th.% white speculum and feathering of the bill will always serve to distinguish this species from its allies. i?a«p'e.— Northern North America, breeding in Labrador and the fur countries ; south in winter to Virginia, southern Illinois, and California. Washington, casual W. V.. Oct. to Apl. Long Island, abundant W. V., Sept. 15 to May 15. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. Cambridge, occa- sional in fall. Nest, on the ground, beneath bushes, frequently some distance from water. Eggs, " six to ten, pale dull buff, varying to cream-color, 2-68 x 1-83 " (Ridgw.). 166. Oidemia perspicillata {Linn.'). Surf Scoter; Sea Coot. jid^ ^ ._A square mark on the crown and a triangular one on the nape white, rest of the plumage black ; bill orange-yellow, a large circular black spot on its side at the base ; feathers on the culmen extending nearly to a level with the nostril, feathers on the side of the bill not extending forward. Ad. 9 and Im.~K whitish spot at the base of the bill and on the ears ; upper parts fuscous brown ; throat, breast, sides, and lower belly grayer, belly white. L., 20-00 ; W., 9-30 ; Tar., 1-60 ; B. along culmen, 1-55; B. along side, 2-30. Remarks.— "iha forward extension of the feathers on the culmen will GEESE. 119 alwoys distinguish this species from O. americana^ while it may be known from deglaiidi by the absence of white in the wings. Range. — Breeds from the Gulf of St. Lawrence northward ; winters south- ward to the Great Lakes and Virginia, and casually to Florida. Washington, casual W. V. Long Island, common W. V., Oct. through Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Oct. 7 to Oct. 22. Cambridge, occasional in fall. J^est., in tall grasses near water. Eggs., " five to eight, pale buff or pale creamy butf, 2-47 x 170 " ( Kidgw.). 167. Erismatura rubida ( Wils.). Euddy Duck. Ad. 3 .—Top oi the head black, cheeks and chin white, throat and back rufous-chestnut, lower back blackish ; breast and belly silvery white ; upper tail-coverts very short, tail-feathers stiff and pointed. Ad. $ and Im. — Upper parts dark gray- ish brown, the feathers marked with fine wavy bars of bufiy ; sides of the head and upper throat whitish, lower throat grayish, rest of the under parts silvery white. L,, 15-00 ; W., 5-90 ; Tar., 1-15 ; B., 1-55. Bemarhs. — The short upper tail-coverts and stitf, pointed tail-feathers will always serve to identify this species. Range. — Of general distribution from northern South America to the fur countries, breeding largely northward, but locally throughout its range (Granada, Wells ; Guatemala, Salvin ; Cuba, Gundlach ; Cape Cod, Miller). Washington, conmion W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, irregular T. V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch, 14 to Apl. 6; Oct. 5 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, very common in Oct. and Nov. Ntst., in a slough or marshy place, generally on a mass of fleating vegeta- tion. Eggs., six to ten, creamy or butty white, 2-50 x 1-80. '* When rising from the water, it runs on the surface for some dis tance. and generally against the wind. If it can not command a fair open space for flight, it will dive, using its tail either as a rudder or as a paddle in a vertical motion, and will hide itself away among the grass and sedges. When on the wing, it flies low along the surface of the water, with a rapid beat of its broad wings, making a short, plump figure quite uncommon for a Duck ; and it generally flies quite a dis- tance before alighting '' (Langille). In swimming, the tail is sometimes held erect at right angles to the body. The Masked Duck {168. Nomomjx dominicus) is a tropical species of rare occurrence in North America. Single specimens have been taken in Suh family Anserince. Geese. Geese are vegetarians. When on the water, they feed largely by tipping, as with head and neck immersed and tail pointing skyward they search for the roots or seeds of aquatic plants. They are far more terrestrial than Ducks, and visit the land to nip the herbage, 120 GEESE. young corn, or cereals. When wounded, they dive readily and, with their body just below the surface of the water and only the bill ex- posed, head for the shore, where they attempt to hide in the vegetation. In migrating, the flock is formed in a Y-shaped wedge, the lead, it is said, being taken by an old gander. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. AVhole head or forehead white. A. Bill yellowish. a. Forehead aud feathers at the base of bill white. 171a. Am. White-fronted Goose (Ad.). b. Head and neck white or grayish, sometimes tinged with rusty. b^. Primaries black, rest of plumage white. 169. Lesser Snow Goose. 169a. Greater Snow Goose. b^. Back grayish brown, rump and belly whitish, wing-coverts and tertials widely margined with Avhite. . . . 169. Lesser Snow Goose (Ln.). 169a. Greater Snow Goose (Im.). b^. Back grayish brown, rump, belly, and wing-coverts gray, the lat- ter not conspicuously margined with white. 169.1. Blue Goose (x\d.). £. Bill black, throat and sides of the head white, lores black. 175. Barnacle Goose. II. Head and neck brown, bill yellow or yellowish. A. Nail of bill black, rump fuscous. 171a. Am. White-fronted Goose (Im.). £. Nail of bill yellow, rump gray 169.1. Blue Goose (Im.). III. Head black or brownish black, bill black. A. Throat white . . . 172. Canada Goose. 173a. Hutchins's Goose. jB. Throat black or brownish black, neck speckled with white. a. Belly white 173. Brant. b. Belly brownish gray 174. Black Bjiant. 169. Chen hyperborea (Pall.). Lesser Snow Goose. Ad.— En- tire plumage, except the primaries with their coverts, white ; primaries black, tiieir bases and coverts ashy. Im. — " Head, neck, and upper parts pale gray- ish, the feathers of the latter with whitish edges and (especially wing-coverts and tertials) striped medially Avith darker ; rump, upper tail-coverts, tail, and lower parts plain white. L., 23-00-28-00 ; W., 14-50-17-00; B., 1-95-2-30; Tar., 2-80-3-25 " (Eidgw.). Range. — Western North America, breeding in Alaslca and migrating south- ward to the Gulf; rarely found east of the Mississippi. Eggs.^ uniform dirty, chalky white, 3-40 x 2-20 (B., B., and K.). 169a;* C. h. nivalis (Forst.). Greater Snow Goose. — Resembles the preceding in color, but is larger. L., 30-00-38-00; W., 17-35-17-50; B., 2-55- 2-70 ; Tar., 3-15-3-50 (Ridgw.). Range. — Eastern North America, breeding in the far north (exact breed- ing range unknown); winters from Chesapeake Bay to Cuba; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. GEESE. 121 Long Island, irregular from Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, A. V., Apl, ]\^est and eggs unknown. The Snow Goose does not appear to be a common bird on any part of the Atlantic coast. It migrates both by night and day, and when on the wing its white plumage and black-tipped primaries render it easily identifiable. It is a noisier bird than the Canada Goose, and its voice is higher and more cackling. 169.1. Chen caerulescens (Linn.). Blue Goose. ^6?.— Head and upper neck white ; middle of tlie hind neck sometimes blackish, lower neck all around fuscous, rest of under parts brownish gray edged with buffy ; the lower belly generally paler, sometimes white ; upper back and scapulars like the breast ; lower back, rump, and upper tail-coverts gray ; tail fuscous gray edged with whitish ; wing-coverts like the rump or slightly darker, with little or no whitish margins ; wing-quills and tertials fuscous, the latter more or less margined with whitish. Im. — " Similar to adult, but head and neck uniform deep grayish brown, only the chin being white. L., 26-50-30-00 ; W., 15-00- 17-00; B., 2-10-2-30; Tar., 3-00-3-30" (Ridgw.). Range. — North America; breeds in the Hudson Bay region and migrates southward, chiefly through the interior, to Texas. Long Island, A. V. Xest and egg^ unknown. The Blue Goose is apparently nowhere a common bird, and on the Atlantic coast it is even less common than in the interior. It was at one time supposed to be the young of the Snow Goose, which it doubt- less resembles in habits. 171a. Anser albifrons ^ambeli (Hartl.). America?^ White- FROXTEi) Goose. Ad. — Forehead and region bordering the base of the bill white ; upper parts and foreneck grayish brown, more or less margined on the back with lighter; longer and lateral upper tail-coverts white; breast somewhat lighter than the throat, more or less irregularly marked with black, and fading gradually into pure white on the lower belly ; sides like the back. Im. — Similar, but no white at the base of the bill or black marks on the breast ; nail of the bill black. " L., 27-00-30-00 ; W., 14-25-17-50 ; B., 1-80-2-35 ; depth of mandible at base, -90-1-20 ; width, -85-1-05 ; Tar., 2-60-3-20 " (Ridgw.). Range. — " North America, breeding far northward ; in winter south to Mexico and Cuba " (A. 0. U.) ; rare on the Atlantic coast. Long Island, A. V. Xest., on the ground, of grasses lined with down. Eggs, six to seven, dull greenish yellow with obscure darker tints, 3-10 x 2-07 (Davie). "These birds are rarely met with on the Atlantic coast, but are quite common in the Mississippi Valley and abundant on the Pacific slope. They prefer low, wet grounds in the vicinity of timber, or where the prairie is dotted here and there with bushes; and, while they occasionally forage off the wheat fields and other grains on the 122 GEESE. bottom lands, they seldom visit the high, dry prairies like the Snow and Canada Geese " (Goss). The European White-fronted Goose {171. Anser aJhlfrons) resembles its American representative in color, but averafices smaller. It is American only as it occurs in Greenland, where gambeli is apparently unknown. 1*72. Branta canadensis {Linn.). Canada Goose. Ad.— Throat and a large patch on tlie side of the head behind the eye white or whitish ; chin and rest of the head and neck black ; back and wings grayish brown, more or less edged with lighter; tail and shorter upper tail-coverts black, longer and lateral ones white ; breast and belly grayish, fading to white on tlie lower belly ; sides like the back. Im. — Similar, but throat and cheeks sometimes mixed with blackish. " L., 35-00-43-00 ; W., 15-60-21-00 ; Tar., 2-45-3-70 ; B., 1-55-2-70" (Eidgw.). Range. — Temperate North America; breeds in the northern United States and British provinces ; south in winter to Mexico. Washington, W. V. and rather common T. V., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, common T. V., Mch. and Apl.; Oct., some W. V. Sing Sing, tolerably com- mon T. v., Mch. 11 to May 21 ; Oct. Cambridge, common T. V., Mch. and Apl. ; Oct. to Dec. Ntst.^ of sticks lined with down, on the ground in the open prairie, on the shores of streams, on tree stumps and sometimes in trees, when a de- serted nest of tlie Osprey is generally used. Eggs., four to live, butfy white, 3-50 X 2-35. Probably the migration of no bird attracts more universal interest than that of the Wild Goose. Ornithologists talk of " waves " and "flights" of migrants passing in the night, but the biannual pilgrim- age of the Canada Goose appeals to us all with the directness of a per- sonal experience. We see the living wedge of long-necked birds pass- ing high overhead; the unbroken sound-waves bring the sonorous *' honks " with unexpected distinctness to our ears ; and we receive an impressive lesson in the migration of birds. They are embarked on a journey of several thousand miles, but they come and go as surely as though they carried chart and compass. 172a. B. c. hutchinsii {Hio. & Rich.). Hutchins's Goose.— Eesem- bles the preceding in color, but averages smaller. L., 25-00-34-00 ; W., 14-75- 17-75; Tar., 2-25-3-20; B., 1-20-1-90 (Ridgw.). Range.— '■'■ North America, breeding in the arctic regions, and migrating soath in winter chiefly through the western United States and Mississippi Valley; eastern Asia" (A. 0. U.). Long Island, A. V. 172c. B. C. minima Ridgw. Cackling Goose. — To be distinguished from the two preceding by its smaller size and the much darker brownish- gray color of the breast and upper belly. " W., 13-60-14-50; Tar., 2-40-2-75; B.,'95-1-15" (Ridgw.). GEESE. 123 Eav.ge. — Pac-ific coa«t of North America, breeding chiefly about the shores of Norton Sound and the lower Yukon ; south in winter to California, and, more rarely, to upper Mississippi Valley (Wisconsin, etc.) (Ridgw.). 173. Branta bernicla (Z*«».). Brant. Ad. — Head, neck, throat, and upper breast black ; sides of the neck speckled with white ; back brown- ish gray, margined with grayish brown ; longer and lateral upper tail-coverts wiiite ; lower breast ashy gray fading to white on the lower belly ; sides darker. Im. — Similar, but with less white on the sides of the neck and wing-coverts, and secondaries tipped with white. L., 26'00 ; "W., 13"20 ; Tar., 2-20; B., 1-35. Range. — Northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; breeds within the Arctic Circle ; in America, migrates southward along tlie Atlantic coast, reach- ing the Carolinas in winter ; rare in the interior. Washinccton, rare W. V. Long Island, common T. V., Nov. 1 to May 15; a few winter. Sing Sing, A. V. A'es^, of grasses, moss, etc., lined with down, on the ground. Eggs., four, smooth and creamy white in color, 2-70 x 1-80 (Saunders). " Its manner of flying is different from that of the Canada Goose — moving in more compact bodies, less rapidly, and without seeming to have a chosen leader — that marked characteristic in the flight of the latter. " While in our bays it appears inactive, seldom taking to wing un- less disturbed by a passing boat or the near report of a gun. " The Brent rises slowly, and when on the wing moves sluggishly for a short distance, and, if not attracted by a distant flock, frequently returns to the place it had left. Its food consists of a marine plant (Zostera marina), commonly called 'eel grass.' At low water it is seen industriously at work tearing up its favorite plant. After the tide has risen to such a height as to compel it to relinquish its voca- tion, it is seen drifting with the current, feeding sumptuously on the fruits of its labor " (Giraud). 174. Branta nigricans (Lawr.). Black Brakt.— Bears a general resemblance to the preceding species, but may be readily distinguished by its much darker lower breast and upper belly, which are nearly as dark as the back, and by having white markings on the front as well as on the sides of the neck. Range. — "Arctic and western North America; rare or casual on the At- lantic coast" (A. O. U.). "Breeds in abundance on the arctic coast of Liver- pool Bay" (Macfarlane). Long Island, A. V. Nest, of grasses, moss, etc., lined with down, on the ground. Eggs, live to seven, dull ivory-white or grayish white, 2-85 x 1-82 (B., B., and R.). This is the western representative of the j)receding species. It is of casual occurrence on the Atlantic coast. 124 SWANS. The Barnacle Goose {175. Branta leucopsis) is an Old-. World spe'^ies which visits Greenland regularly in the fall, and is sometiines found on our coasts. It differs from any of the preceding in having the forehead, sides oi the head, throat, and chin white, the lores being black. Subfamily CygnincB. Swans. Swans feed from the surface, either by "tipping" or by simply immersing the long neck and head. Their food consists largely of vegetable matter, but they eat also small mollusks. They migrate in V-shaped flocks. When on the wing, and also when feeding, they utter at times loud, trumpeting notes. When pursued they do not at once take flight, but swim rapidly away, and in this manner easily distance a strong rower. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. With yellow on the lores ; distance from the eye to the nostril greater than the distance from the nostril to the tip of the bill . 180. Whistling Swan. £. No yellow on the lores; distance from the eye to the nostril not greater than from the nostril to the end of the bill . . . 181. Trumpeter Swan. 180. Olor columbianus (Ord). Whistling Swan. Ad. — White; bill and feet black ; a small yellow spot on the lores. Im. — Head and neck brownish and rest of plumage more or less washed with grayish ; bill and feet light. L., 55-00 ; W., 22-00 ; Tar., 4-00. Eye to N., 2-40 ; N. to tip of B., 2-25. Range. — North America; breeds on the shores of the Arctic Ocean, and migrates south to the Gulf of Mexico ; rare on the Atlantic coast north of Chesapeake Bay. Washington, rare W, V., Oct. Long Island, A. V. Nest., of grasses, moss, etc., lined with down, on the ground near water. Eggs.^ two to five, soiled whitish, 4-25 x 2-70. This is a rare bird on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. " When, feeding, or dressing their plumage, this Swan is usually very noisy, and at night these clamors may be heard to the distance of several miles. Their notes are varied, some resembling the lower ones made by the common tin horn, others running through the various modula- tions of the notes of the clarionet. These differences are presumed to be dependent upon age " (B., B., and R.). 181. Olor buccinator {Rich.). Trumpeter Swan. Ad. — White, bill and feet black, no yellow on the lores. Im. — Head and neck brownish, rest of plumage more or less washed with grayish. L., 65-00 ; W., 23-00 ; Tar., 4-25 ; Eye to N., 2-70 ; N. to tip of B., 2-20. Range. — " Chiefly the interior of North America, from the Gulf coast to the fur countries, breeding from Iowa and Dakota northward ; west to the Pacific, but rare or casual on the Atlantic" (A. O. U.). Nest, of grasses and down, on the ground. Rggs., two to six, soiled whitish, 4-40 X 2-80. SPOONBILLS. 125 This species rarely occurs east of the Mississippi Valley. Its habits are said to resemble those of the preceding species, " but its cry is very different, resembling the notes of a French horn and being very sonorous." The Whooping Swan {179. Olor cygnus) is an Old World species which sometimes is found in Greenland. It diifers from either of our Swans in having the " basal portion of the bill and entire lores yellow in the adult." ORDER ODONTOGLOSS-ffi. LAMELLIROSTRAL GRALLATORES. Family Phcenicopterid^. Flasiingoes. The seven species included in this family are distributed through- out the tropics. Five species are American, of which one reaches our southern border in Florida. Flamingoes are gregarious at all seasons. They are rarely found far from the seacoasts, and their favorite re- sorts are shallow bays or vast mud flats which are flooded at high w^ater. In feeding, the bill is pressed downward into the mud, its pe- culiar shape making the point then turn upward. The ridges along its sides, as in the bills of Ducks, serve as strainers through which are forced the sand and mud taken in with the food. 183. Phcenicopterus ruber (Linn.). Flamingo. (See Fig. 18.) ^d— Beautiful rosy vermilion, scapulars and under parts somewhat paler, flanks carmine, primaries and secondaries black ; bill yellowish black at the tip. Im. — " Grayish white, the wings varied with grayish and dusky " (Ridgw.). L., 45-00 ; W., 16-25 ; Tar., 12-50 ; B., 5-50. ii'art^e.— Atlantic coasts of tropical and subtropical America ; resident in southwestern Florida (Monroe County) ; casual along the Gulf coast to Texas ; accidental in South Carolina. Kest., in mud flats, a truncate cone of mud ten to twenty inches in height, hollowed on top. Eggs., two, soiled whitish with a chalky deposit, 3-55 x 2-20. The Flamingo is resident in the United States only in the vicinity of Cape Sable, Fla., w^here in 1890 Mr. W. E. D. Scott observed a flock of about a thousand birds (The Auk, vii, 1890, pp. 221-226). ORDER HERODIONES. HERONS, STORKS, IBISES, ETC. Family Plataleid^. Spoonbills. The Spoonbills inhabit the warmer parts of the world. Only one of the five or six species is found in America. They frequent the 126 IBISES. shores both on the seacoast and in the interior. They are generally found in flocks and they nest in colonies. Spoonbills have the gen^ eral habits of Herons, but feed by immersing the bill and swinging it from side to side in their search for food. 183* Ajaja ajaja (Linri.). Eoseate Spoonbill; Pink Curlew. (See Fig. 21.) Ad. — Head and throat bare, neck and upper back white, some- times tinged with pink ; sides of the breast in front of the wings and end half of tail ochraceous-butf ; rest of plumage pink ; lengthened feathers at the base of the neck darker; lesser wing-coverts, upper and under tail-coverts car- mine. Im. — Similar, but head and throat feathered, ochraceous-buff and car- mine of the adult replaced by pink. L., 32-00 ; W., 14-50 ; Tar., 4-00 ; B., 6-25. Range. — Tropical and subtropical America north to the Gulf States. Nest., a platform of sticks in mangrove bushes or small trees. Eggs., three to five, white, spotted and speckled with shades of olive-brown, 2-57 x 1-73. This was formerly a common species in Florida, but continued persecution has so reduced its numbers that during four winters passed in different parts of the State I did not observe it. It nests in January and February in the extreme southern part of the State, and after the nesting season wanders northward. On the Texas coast it is more numerous. Family Ibidid^. Ibises. Ibises are distributed throughout the warmer parts of the globe ; they number about thirty species, of which four occur in North Amer- ica. They are silent birds, and live in flocks during the entire year. They feed along the shores of lakes, bays, and salt-water lagoons, and on mud flats over which the tide rises and falls. Their food consists principally of crustaceans, frogs, and small fish. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Plumage deep chestnut 186. Glossy Ibis. £. Plumage scarlet 185. Scarlet Ibis (Ad.). C. Plumage white 184. White Ibis (Ad.). D. Back brown, belly white. a. Kump white 184. White Ibis (Im.). b. Kump like the back 185. Scarlet Ibis (Im.). 184. Guara alba (Zm?2.). White Ibis; Spanish Curlew (see Fig. 20). Ad. — White, the tips of the four outer primaries black ; bare parts of the head orange-red. Im. — Head and neck white, streaked with grayish brown ; upper back and wings grayish brown; rump, breast, and belly white. L., 25-00; W., 11-00; Tar., 3-40 ; B. from N., 4-60. Range. — Tropical America; breeds as far north as southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and South Carolina ; winters from the Gulf southward. Long Island, A. V. STORKS. 127 Nest^ of reeds and weed stalks, in trees, bushes, and reedy marshes. JEggs^ three to live, pale greenish white, with chocolate markings generally most numerous at the larger end, 2-25 x 1-50. This locally abundant species is generally found in flocks of five or six to as many hundred birds which frequent mud flats, marshes, or the borders of lagoons. They fly in close rank, and when in large flocks, with their snowy plumage glistening in the sunlight and their wing-strokes accented by the black-tipped primaries, form a strikingly beautiful picture. The Scarlet Ibis {185. Guara rubra), a South American species, has been recorded from Florida, Louisiana, and New Mexico. (See Brewster, Bull. Kutt. Orn. Club, viii, 1883, p. 185; also Scott, Auk, vi, 1889, p. 15.) 186. Plegadis autumnalis {Ihsselq.). Glossy Ibis. Ad.—K\(i\i chestnut, upper and under tail-coverts, back, Avings, and front of the head with greenish and purplish reflections; lores (in skins) blackish. Im. — Head and neck fuscous-brown, the feathers laterally margined with white; rest of under parts dull fuscous-brown ; back with greenish reflections. L., 24-00 : W., 11-50 ; Tar., 3-10 ; B., 5-00. Range. — Tropical and subtropical regions genei'ally ; rare and of local dis- tribution in the southeastern United States and West Indies. Washington, A. V., two records. Long Island, A. V., two records. Cam- bridge, A. v., one record, May. Nest, of rushes, plant stems, etc., in reedy swamps or low bushes. Eggs., three, rather deep, dull blue, 2-01 x 1*47. This is a rare species in the eastern United States. Its haunts are of much the same nature as those of the preceding species. The White-faced Glossy Ibis {187. Pie gadis guar auna)., o, locally com- mon species from Texas westward and southward, has been recorded but once from east of the Mississippi, viz., at or near Lake Washington, Florida, where a female was shot on a nest containing three eggs (Brewster, Auk, iii, 1886, p. 482). This species resembles the Glossy Ibis, but adults have the region about the base of the bill Avhite, Fajviily Ciconiid^. Storks. Only two of the twenty-five known species included in this family are found in North America. Storks are both gregarious and solitary. Our species, the so-called Wood Ibis, is as a rule found in flocks and nests in colonies. It feeds in swamps and on the shores of bayous, where it is said to " rake " the bottom with its foot in searching for food. It is a strong flier, a certain number of wing-strokes being fol- lowed by a short sail. At times it mounts high in the air and sails about like a Vulture, Sometimes it perches upon trees. Its voice is described as a rough, guttural croak. 128 HERONS AND BITTERNS. 188. Tantalus loculator Linn. Wood Ibis. Ad. — Head and neck bare ; primaries, secondaries, and tail glossy greenish black, rest of plumage white. Irn. — Head more or less feathered; head and neck grayish brown, blacker on the nape ; rest of plumage as in the adult, but more or less marked with grayish; wings and tail less greenisli. L., 40-00 ; W., 18-00; Tar., T'tiO; B. from N., 8-00. Range. — Tropical and subtropical America ; breeds in the Gulf States, and, after the breeding season, wanders irregularly northward, sometimes reaching Kansas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. Washington, A. V., two specimens. Long Island, A. V. Nest., a platform of sticks in trc^s. Eijgs.^ two to three, dull white with a soft calcareous deposit, 2-75 x 1-75. This is a locally common species in Florida. Family Ardeid^. Herons and Bitterns. This family contains about seventy-five species distributed in most parts of the globe, but more numerously in the intertropical regions. Generally speaking, Herons are gregarious, nesting and roosting in flocks. While feeding they are more solitary, but each night they regularly return to roost with their kind in a " rookery." Bitterns do not associate in flocks, and are generally found singly or in pairs. As a rule, they feed in grassy marshes, while Herons more commonly resort to the shores of lakes, rivers, bays, or salt-water lagoons. Some species secure their food of frogs, fish, small reptiles, etc., by standing rigidly motionless and waiting for it to come within striking distance, or by wading for it with the utmost caution. Others run rapidly and noisily through the water, trusting to their agility and the rapidity of their spearlike thrusts to supply their wants. Herons, unlike our Ibises and Cranes, fly with their folded neck drawn in between their shoulders. Their voice is a hoarse squawk. KEY TO THE SPECIES. L Wing over 13-00. A. Plumage pure white. a. Wing 17-00 or over; feathers on the lower neck long, narrow. 192. Great White Heron. h. Wing under 17-00 ; neck-feathers not lengthened . 196. Am. Egret. B. Upper parts generally slaty or grayish blue. 193. Ward's Heron. 194. Great Blue Heron. XL Wing under 13-00. 1. Crown without streaks. A. Crown white or whitish. a. Wing over 11-00. ay. Plumage entirely or mostly white . . . 198. Eeddish Egret. a*. Plumage gray streaked witli black ; throat and sides of neck black 203. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. HERONS AND BITTERNS. 129 b. Wing under 11-00. ^1. Plumage pure white ; legs and bill black ; feet yellow. 197. Snowy Heron. h^. Tips of primaries slate-color; plumage white, sometimes irregu- larly marked with slaty blue . . 200. Little Blue Heron (Im.). B. Crown umber or reddish brown. a. Head and neck reddish brown ; body slate-color. 198. Reddish Egret. b. Neck conspicuously streaked ; body variegated . 190. Am. Bittern. C. Crown slaty or slate-blue Avith sometimes a purplish cast. a. Wing-coverts more or less margined with rufous. 199. Louisiana Heron. b. Wing-coverts without rufous 200. Little Blue Heron. D. Crown greenish or bluish black. a. Wing over 10-00 ; entire under parts pure white. 202. Black-crowned Night Heron. b. Wing under 10-00. b^. Wing-coverts green 201. Little Green Heron. c^. Wing-coverts rufous-chestnut and buff. c'. Under parts butty, more or less streaked . 191. Least Bittern. f3. Under parts rufous-chestnut . 191.1. Cory's Least Bittern. 2. Crown streaked. A. Wing under 10-00; upper parts greenish 201. Little Green Heron, B. Wing over 10-00 ; upper parts brownish or blackish brown streaked Avith white. a. Upper parts light brown ; outer edge of primaries reddish. 20j^. Black-crowned Night Heron (Im.). b. Back dark brown ; crown nearly black with white streaks ; prima- ries dark slate-color . 203. Yellow-crowned Night Heron (Im.). 190. Botaurus lentiginosus {Montag.). American Bittern; Marsh Hen. Ad. — A glossy black streak on either side of the upper neck; top of the head and back of the neck bluish slate, more or less washed with buffy ; back brown, bordered and irregularly mottled with buffy, and buffy ochraceous, wing-coverts similarly marked, but the ground color grayer; un- der parts creamy buff, the feathers all widely streaked with bufty brown, which is finely speckled with buffy aud narrowly margined by brownish gray. /w. — Similar, but the buffy everywhere deeper and more ochraceous. L., 28-00; W.. 10-50; Tar., 3-50; B., 3-00. ^a«f/e.— Temperate North America; breeds but rarely south of Virginia; Ivinters from Virginia southward. Washington, rather common W. V., Aug. to Apl. Long Island, common T. v., Apl. and Sept. to Nov. Sing Sing, rare S. R., Apl. 11 to Oct. 5. Cam- bridge, not common S. R., Apl. 15 to Nov. Sest., of grasses, etc., on the ground in marshes. Eggs., three to five, pale olive-buff, 1-90 x 1-45. The Bittern makes its home in extensive grassy meadows with plenty of water, but in the season of migration may be found and 10 130 HERONS AND BITTERNS. hoard " booming" in smaller and more accessible swampy places. Like the other members of its family, it excels in standing still, and will hold its head erect and motionless amid the tall grass till the watcher tii'es of looking and pronounces the suspicious object nothing but a stick after all. The Bittern's fame rests upon its vocal performance, or " boom." This is sometimes exactly like the working of an old-fash- ioned wooden pump, and sometimes — even with the same bird — like the driving of a stake in a bog. It can be heard for a long distance. The performance is best witnessed in spring, while the grass is still low. That it is not so very difficult at that season to steal a march upon the bird may perhaps be considered as established on the testi- mony of a man who has never lived near a Bittern meadow, and yet has watched the performance at much length and at near rang*^ on several occasions. His first experience of this kind is described some- what fully in The Auk, vol. vi, page 1. The strange notes are deliv- ered with equally strange contortions, as if the bird were horribly nauseated, and are preceded by a succession of quick snapping or gulping sounds — " hiccoughs," one observer has called them. No water is employed in the operation, in spite of the ciivcumstantial as- sertions of several persons who profess to have seen the bird swallow- ing and then ejecting it. — Bradford Torrey. 191. Ardetta exilis {Gmel.). Least Bittern. Ad. i . — Top of the head, back, and tail shining black ; back of the neck chestnut-rufous ; most of tlie greater wing-coverts and outer vanes of the secondaries darker; lesser wing-coverts and part of the greater ones buflfy ; under parts, including under tail-coverts., washed with buffy ; a blackisli patch at either side of the breast. Ad. 9. — Similar, but head browner and back light, glossy umber; under parts darker and more or less streaked with brownish. Jm. 5 . — Similar to ad. d, but the back washed and tipped with chestnut; under parts darkei and lightly streaked with black, hyi. 9 . — similar to ad. 9 , but the back rufous, margined with buffy ochraceous. L., 13-00 ; W., 4-(50 ; Tar., 1-60 ; B., 1-80. Range. — Temperate and tropical America; breeds in North America as far north as Maine, Ontario, and Manitoba ; winters from southern Florida southward. Washington, not very "numerous S. K., May 5 to Sept. 25. Long Island, common S. R., May to Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. E., to Aug. 10. Cambridge, rather common S. R., May 15 to Aug. Nest., of grasses, plant stems, etc., in marshes among rushes, sometimes in a small bush, ^ggs, three to six, pale bluish white, 1-20 x -92. Wet, grassy marshes such as Rail love, or reed-grown ponds that Callinules frequent, are the resorts of these retiring, secretive little birds. With outstretched necks and lowered heads they make their way without difficulty through the jungle of roots and stalks. Some- times they climb up a slender reed, and, hanging on like Marsh Wrens, HERONS AND BITTERNS. 131 survey their surroundings. They take wing ahnost from beneath one's feet, and, with a low, frightened qiia, fly slowly for a short distance and then drop back into the grass. During the breeding season one may hear what presumably is the voice of only the male — a soft, slowly repeated, dovelike coo, coo, coo, coo, coo. It floats over the marsh like the voice of a spirit bird. 191. 1. Ardetta neoxena Cory. Cory's Bittern. Ad. $ .— " Top of the head, back, and tail dark greenish black, showing a green gloss when h'eld in the light. Sides of the head and throat rufous-chestnut, the feathers on the back of tlie neck showing greenish-black tips; breast and under parts nearly uniform rufous-chestnut, sliading into dull black on the sides ; wing-coverts dark rufous-chestnut, all the remiges entirely slaty plumbeous; under tail- coverts uniform dull black. W., 4-30 ; Tar., 1-40 ; B., 1-80 " (Cory, orig. descr., Auk, iii, 1886, p. 262). This small Bittern was described from a specimen taken in the Everglades of Florida. Five additional specimens have since been secured in the same region, to which, until recently, the species was supposed to be confined. Within the past few years, however, seven specimens have been taken in the Toronto marshes, where A. exilis is common, and one is recorded from Michigan. It seems to me not un- likely that, as Mr. W. E. D. Scott suggests, neoxena may prove to be a color phase of A. exilis. (Cf. Scott, Auk, viii, 1891, p. 309 ; ix, 1892, p. 141; and Chapman, ibid., xiii, 1896, p. 11.) 192. Ardea occidentalis Aud. Great White Heron, ^(f.— En- tirely white ; in breeding plumage, with long, narrow, stiffened feathers on the back and lower foreneck, and two narrow plumes on the back of the crown. "L., 45-00-54-00; W., 17-00-21 -00; B., 6 -00-7 -00 ; Tar, 8-00-8-75 " (Ridgw.). Range. — Jamaica and Cuba north to the coasts of southern Florida, casu- ally to Anclote River and Micco. Nest, a platform of sticks in colonies in mangrove bushes. Eggs, three to four, pale, dull blue, 2-50 x 1-80. This is a common species on the coasts of southern Florida, par- ticularly in the vicinity of Cape Sable. Rarely it is found as far north as the Anclote River on the west coast and Micco on the east coast. This bird is as large as the Great Blue Heron, and must not be con- fused with Ardea egretta, to which the name Great White Heron is frequently applied. Ardea wuerdmanni Baird has been considered to be a color phase of this species, but its true standing is unknown. It is described by Coues as follows : " Head, with the crest, white, the forehead streaked with black edges of the feathers; under parts white, the sides streaked with black; lower plumes of neck white, mostly streaked with black edges of the feathers ; neck purplish 132 HERONS AND BITTERNS. gray, darker than in A. Jierodias^ with a similar throat line of white, black, and rufous. Under wing-coverts streaked with white ; rufous of edge of wing less extensive than in A. herodias^ that of tibiae paler. Tibia? and soles of feet yellow ; tarsi and top of toes yellowish green. Im. — Like young A. herodias; top of head dusky, the feathers with whitish shaft lines and bases. Lesser wing-coverts speckled with rusty, the under ones pure white " (Coues). " L., 4S-00-50-00; W., 20-0U-21-OO; B., 5-95-6-60; Tar., 7-y5-8-25" (Eidgw.). «193a Ardea ivardi Ridgw. Ward's Heron. — This is the Florida rep- resentative of A. herodias. It is believed by some ornithologists to be a dis- tinct species, but in my opinion is a peninsular race. The average dift'erences in color between it and A. herodias consist in its whiter lower pai-ts, darker neck, and olive instead of black legs. These differences, however, can not always be relied upon, and size is the character by which the two birds can best be distinguished, wardi being the larger, as the following measurements show: L., 52-00; W., 19-75-20-50; B., 6-40-6-80 ; Tar., 8-00-8-50. Range. — Florida, from Alachua County southward. Nest., a platform of sticks, in colonies, generally in cypress trees. Eggs., three to four, pale, dull blue, 2-65 x 1-85. This is the Florida form of the following, which it resembles in habits. It is more common than the Great Blue Heron, and is gener- ally distributed throughout the peninsula from Gainesville southward. 194. Ardea herodias Linn. Great Blue Heron; Blue Crane; Sandhill Crane. Ad. in hreeding plumage. — Center of the crown and throat white, sides of the crown black, this color meeting on the back of the head, where the feathers are lengthened to form an occipital crest ; neck pale gray- ish brown, a narrow black, white, and ochraceous line down the middle of the foreneck ; feathers of the lower foreneck narrow and much lengthened, whitish with sometimes black streaks ; back, wing-coverts, and tail slaty gray, the scapulars paler, narrow, and much lengthened ; bend of the wing chestnut-rufous; a patch of black and white feathers on the side of the breast; breast and belly streaked with black and white and sometimes pale rufous ; feathers on legs dull rufous, legs and feet black, upper mandible olive- yellow, the culmen blackish ; lower mandible yellow ; lores blue. Im. — Similar, but entire crown black, throat white, neck brownish gray washed with butty ochraceous ; no black at the sides of the breast or plumes on the lower neck ; under parts streaked with black, slaty, white, and ochraceous ; bend of wings and feathers on legs paler; back slaty grayish brown without lengthened plumes. "L., 42-00-50-00; W., 17-90-19-85; B., 4-30-6-25; Tar., 6-00-8-00" (Ridgw.). Range. — Northern South America northward to the arctic regions ; breeds locally throughout most of its North American i-a,nge and winters from the Middle States southward. Washington, rather common, absent only in midwinter. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. and May; Aug. to Dec. Sing Sing, common T. V.. Apl. 4 to Apl. 18; Aug. 16 to Oct. 6. Cambridge, common T. V., Apl. and May; Sept. to Nov. ; occasional in summer. HERONS AND BITTERNS. 133 Kest, a platform of sticks, generally in colonies, in trees. Eggs^ three to four, pale, dull blue, 2*50 x 1-50. Is it due to the influence of the artists of the Orient that these long-legged, long-necked birds are so frequently miscalled "Cranes"! With head drawn in and legs trailing on behind, they flap slowly over the water, resembling, no doubt, the " Cranes " of fans, screens, and bronzes ; nevertheless, they are Herons. With all a Heron's immovable alertness they watch patiently for passing fish, sometimes wading with extreme caution, placing one foot slowly after the other. They feed both by day and night. Fishes, frogs, reptiles, even small mice, all are welcome ; and all are powerless to escape the lightning thrust of the spearlike bill. Their voice is harsh and rasping. When alarmed they utter a croak which is sometimes prolonged into a series of squawks. They nest and roost in colonies, but at other times are solitary birds. The European Great Blue Herox (195. Ardea cinerea) is accidental in southern Greenland. It may be distinguished from our species by the white instead of rufous feathers on the legs. 196. Ardeai egretta Gmel. American Egret. Ad. in breeding plumage. — Entire plumage pure white; ahovit Mty straigJd "aigrette" plumes grow from the interscapular region and reach beyond the tail ; legs and feet black ; bill yellow ; lores orange, bordered below by greenish. Ad. after the breeding season and Jm. — Without the interscapular plumes. L., 41-00 ; W., 15-00 ; Tar., 5-60 ; B., 4-50. Range. — Tropical and temperate America ; breeds as far north as southern Illinois and Virginia ; after the breeding season sometimes strays northward as far as Manitoba, Quebec, and New Brunswick. Washington, not common and irregular S. R., May to Augu>st. Long Island, rare from July to Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. jS'est., a platform of sticks, in colonies, in bushes over water. Eggs, three to five, dull blue, of a rather deeper shade than those of the preceding, 2-25 X 1-60. Tourists who went to Florida thirty years ago have told me of prairies white with Egrets, of bushy islands glistening in the sun like snow banks. Now you may look for miles along a lake shore and per- haps in the distance see a solitary Egret, which, as you approach, with a frightened squawk takes wing a rifle-shot away. The rapid exter- mination of these plume-bearing birds is startling evidence of man's power in the animal world. At his word a species is almost imme- diately wiped out of existence. I have heard a " plume-hunter" boast of killing three hundred Herons in a "rookery" in one afternoon. Another proudly stated that he and his companions had killed one hundred and thirty thousand bird? — Herons, Egrets, and Terns— dur- ing one winter. But the destruction of these birds is an unpleasant 134 HERONS AND BITTERNS. subject. It is a blot on Florida's history. The subject will be found fully treated by W. E. D. Scott in The Auk, iv, 1887, p. 135. 197. Ardea candidissima Gw.el. Snowy Heron; Snowy Egret Ad. in breeding ijlmnaije. — Entire plumage pure white; about fifty recurved "aigrette" plumes grow from the interscapular region and reach to or just beyond the end of the tail ; legs hlack,^ feet yellow^ bill Mack^ yellow at the base ; lores orange-yellow. Ad. after the breeding season and Iiii. — Without the interscapular plumes. L., 24-00 ; W., 9-75 ; Tar., 3-80 ; B., 3-20. liange. — Tropical and temperate America ; breeds as far north as southern Illinois and Long Island ; after the breeding season sometimes strays north- ward as far as Ontario and Maine. Washington, casual ; irregular in fall. Lon^g Island, rare S. E., Apl. to Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. Nest., a platform of sticks, in colonies, in bushes over water. Eggs., three to five, pale, dull blue, 1-80 x 1.20. The " curse of beauty " has numbered the days of this the most dainty and graceful of Plerons. Twenty years ago it was abundant in the South, now it is the rarest of its family. The delicate "aigrettes" which it donned as a nuptial dress were its death warrant. Woman demanded from the bird its wedding plumes, and man has supplied the demand. The Florida Herons have gone, and now he is pursuing the helpless birds to the uttermost parts of the earth. Mercilessly they are shot down at their roosts or nesting grounds, the coveted feathers are stripped from their backs, the carcasses are left to rot, while the young in the nest above are starving. But then, you know, the little bunch of aigrettes in yonder jaunty bonnet is " so pretty,". " so becoming ! " 198. Ardea rufescens Gmel. Eeddish Egret. Ad.., darJc phase. — Head and neck rufous-chestnut, glossed with vinaceous ; rest of the plumage dark bluish slate-color ; about thirty " aigrette " plumes grow from the inter- scapular region and reach beyond the tail ; Iggs and feet black. Im. — Simi- lar, but without the " aigrette " plumes. White jihase. — Similar in size and form, but entire plumage white, except the tips of the prim-aries, which are sometimes very finely speckled with grayish. Int. — Snnilar, but without the " aigrette " plumes. L., 29-00 ; W., 12-50 ; Tar., 5-40 ; B., 3-60. Remarhs. — The two color phases of this bird were supposed to represent two species, the white phase being called Ardea pealei Bonap. They have, however, been found mated together, and intermediates or party-colored 81)ecimens are known. Range. — West Indies and Central America north to coasts of the Gulf States ; casually southern Illinois. JVest, a platform of sticks, in colonies, in bushes generally over water. Eggs, two to four, pale, dull blue, 1-95 x 1-45. This is, or was a few years ago, a not uncommon species on the coasts of southern Florida, but it is unknown in the interior. It is 1 CQ HERONS AND BITTERNS. 135 generally seen in flocks. With A. caiididissima they lack the patience of the larger Herons and pursue their prey in shallow water. 199. Ardea tricolor ruficollis {Gosse). Louisiana Heron. Ad. — Upper parts dark bhiUh slate-color; back of the head and upper neck with elongated chestnut-rufous and white feathers; back with pale brownish gray "aigrette" plumes reaching to the tail; lower back, rump, and belly white; neck bluish slate-color ; throat white, an indistinct rufous line down the mid- dle of the foreneck ; legs blackish ; base of the bill and lores bluish. Im. — Throat, and an indistinct line down the foreneck, white; rest of the head and neck brownish rufous ; upper back and wings bluish slate-color, more or less washed with brownish rufous ; no plumes ; lower back, rump, and belly white ; breast with more or less slaty streaks ; legs yellow behind, blackish before ; lower mandible and lores orange ; upper mandible black. L., 2G-00 ; VV,, 10-00 ; Tar., 3-70 ; B., 3-90. Range. — Central America and West Indies northward to the Gulf States; casually to Long Island. Long Island, A. V., one record. Kest.^ a platform of sticks, in colonies, in bushes over water Eggs.^ four to live, pale, dull blue, 1'75 x 1-35. A common species in Florida, where it is found both singly and in flocks. It is sometimes a slow, stealthy feeder, and at others dashes for its prey. 200. Ardea coerulea Linn. Little Blue Heron. /Iri.— Head and neck maroon-ehcstnut ; rest of the plumage dark bluish slate-color; inter- scapulars and lower neck feathers lengthened and narrowly pointed; lores blue ; legs and feet black. Im. — White, the plumage sometimes more or less washed with slaty ; the tips of the primaries always Uuish slate-color ; legs, feet, and lores greenish yellow. L., 22*00 ; W., 10-25 ; Tar., 3*70 ; B., 3-00. Remarks. — Between the young and adult there is every stage of inter- gradation of color, some specimens being irregularly marked with blue and white in about equal proportions. Young birds are sometimes mistaken for Snowy Herons, but can always be distinguished by the greenish yellow legs and slaty tips of the primaries. Range.— Tro^Xadl and temperate America, breeding as far north as soutl)- ern Illinois and Virginia ; after the breeding season wanders northward, some- times reaching Nova Scotia. Washington, casual in .July and August ; sometimes quite common. Long Island, rare from Apl. to Sept. Aes^, a platform of sticks, in colonies, in bushes over water. Eggs., three to four, pale, dull blue, 1-70 x 1-30. Thanks to their lack of "aigrette" plumes Little Blue Herons are probably the most common Herons in Florida to-day. They are gen- erally found in flocks, sometimes composed entirely of blue adults, sometimes of white, immature birds, and atr others both young and old are associated. The white birds resemble A. candidissima, but the 136 HERONS AND BITTERNS. color of their legs and feet serves as a distinguishing character at some distance. They are silent when feeding, but when undisturbed in their rookeries each bird seems to have something to say, and the result is a strange chorus of croaking voices. They feed by day, and generally wait for their prey to come within striking distance. 201. Ardea virescens Linn. Little Green Heron; Poke (see Fig. 19). Ad. — Crown and a short line below the eye glossy greenish black ; throat butfy white, this color extending down the foreneck as a narrow line mixed with blackish, widening on the breast; rest of the head and neck rufous-chestnut glossed with vinaceous ; back, with lengthened interscapulars, green, more or less washed with bluish gray ; wing-coverts green, margined with white or butfy ; belly ashy gray, more or less washed with huffy. Im. — Similar, but with the neck and under parts streaked with blackish ; hack without lengthened feathers or wash of blue-gray ; wing-coverts widely mar- gined with bufty ochraceous. L., 17-00; W,, 7*25; Tar., 1-90; B., 2*50. Range. — Tropical and temperate America; breeds as far north as Mani- toba, Ontario, and the Bay of Fundy ; winters from Florida soutliward. Washington, very common S. K., Apl. 15 to Sept. Long Island, common S. K., Apl. to Oct. Sing Sing, common S. E., Apl. 6 to Sept. 26. Cambridge, common S. K., May 5 to Sept. Ntst.1 a platform of sticks in a bush or low branch of a tree. Eggs.^ three to six, pale, dull blue, 1-50 x 1-14. The shores of wooded streams or ponds are frequented by this small Heron in preference to more exposed situations. It is most active in the early morning or at nightfall, and during the day rests quietly in some sheltered situation. When startled, it springs into the air with a frightened sqiiawh, and, alighting at a safe distance on a tree or on some elevated perch, with upstretched neck watches the intruder, be- traying its apprehension by nervous twitchings of the tail. It is a solitary bird, and, unlike most Herons, is never found in flocks. 202. Nycticorax nycticorax nsevius (Bodd.). Black-crowned Night Heron ; Quawk. ^d— Forehead, lores, neck, and under parts white or whitish ; crown, upper back, and scapulars glossy, greenish black ; lower back, wings, and tail ashy gray ; legs and feet yellow ; lores greenish ; two or three white rounded occipital plumes about 8-00 in length. Im. — Upper parts grayish brown, the featliers streaked or with wedge-shaped spots of white or buffy ; outer web of pi-imaries pale rufous ; under parts white, streaked with blackish. L., 24-00 ; W., 12-00 ; Tar., 3-20 : B., 3-00. Ravge. — Breeds from Manitoba and New Brunswick southward through South America; winters from the Gulf States southward. Washington, not uncommon S. R., occasional in winter. Long Island, common S. K., Apl. to Oct., a few winter. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 6 to Oct. 20. Cambridge, P. R., most common in Ausr. and Sept. Nest., of sticks, in colonies, "generally in the upper parts of tall trees, some- times in bushes or on t)ie ground. Eggs., four to six, pale, dull blue, 2-00 x 1-40. CKANES. 137 These birds live in colonies composed sometimes of thousands of pairs. Their day begins after sunset, when they leave their roosts and start for their feeding grounds. Occasionally they utter a loud, hoarse quawk, the origin of their common name; and looking up we may catch a glimpse of them hurrying through the gloom. During the nesting season the demands of the young force them to feed both by day and night. 203. Nycticorax violaceus (Linn.). Yellow-crowned Kight Heron. Ad. —Crown wliite, generally washed with bufty ; ear-coverts white ; rest of the head and throat black ; neck, breast, and belly blue-gray ; back the same; the lengthened interscapulars, scapulars, and wing-coverts streaked with black; two or three black and white rounded occipital plumes; lores greenish yellow ; legs greenish. Im. — Crown hlacl\ the feathers streaked with white or buffy ; rest of the upper parts, including wing-coverts, fuscous- brown with wedge-shaped bufty or white spots; primaries dark hhiish slate-color without rufous ; under parts white or buft"y streaked with blackish. L., 23-00 ; W., 12-00 ; Tar., 3-75 ; B., 3-00. Remarks. — Young birds bear a general resemblance to those of the pre- ceding species, but differ in being darker, in having the head darker than the back, and the primarias without rufous. Range. — Breeds from southern Illinois and South Carolina southward to South America, and occasionally strays north as far as Massachusetts. Long Island, A. V. Cambridge, A. V., one record, July. Nest., a platform of sticks, in pairs, generally in a low branch overhanging water. Eggs., four to live, pale, dull blue, 1-95 x 1-45. Unlike the preceding, this is a rather solitary species, and is found singly or in pairs along the borders of wooded streams, and never in colonies. It is also, I think, more diurnal in habits. ORDER PALUDICOL^. CRANES, RAILS, ETC. Family Gruid^. Cranes. The Cranes number about eighteen species, of which three are North American, while the remaining fifteen inhabit the Old World. They frequent plains and marshes, and are omnivorous feeders, eating frogs, lizards, field-mice, snakes, etc., and various kinds of vegetable food. Our species migrate in flocks, but are solitary rat-her than gregarious at other times of the year. Their voice is loud and resonant. 204. Grus americana (Linn.). Wfiooping Crais-e; White Crane. Ad. — Top of the head, lores, and sides of tlie throat dull red, with a thin growth of black "hairs"; primaries black, rest of the plumage white. Im.^ Similar, but whole head feathered, and the plumage more or less washed with bufty ochraceous. L., 50-00 ; W., 2500 ; Tar., 11-50 ; B., 5-00. 138 COURLANS. Jiange.—lnicnor of North America ; breeds from Illinois northward ; win- ters in the Gulf States. Washington, A. V., one record. iVest, of grasses and weed stalks, on the ground in marshy places. Ecjfjs^ two, olive-gray, spotted and blotched with distinct and obscure cinnamon- brown markings, 4-00 x 2-50. A rather rare species east of the Mississippi. " In flight their long necks and stiltlike legs are stretched out in a line with the body to the full extent, moving strongly with slowly beating wings, but not swiftly, . . . often circling spiral-like to a great height. They occa- sionally bunch up, and I have seen them in triangular form ; but as a rule they travel in single file, following their leader in a wavy line, croaking as they go, like hounds upon a cold trail " (Goss). The Little Brown Crane (205. Grus canadensis) breeds from Hudson Bay to Alaska, and winters in Texas and Mexico. There are but two in- stances of its occurrence east of the Mississippi (Rhode Island and South Carolina). It resembles mex,icana^ but is smaller; W. 18-50; B., 4-10. 206. Grus mexicana {Miill.). Sandhill Crane ; Brown Crane. Ad. — Whole top of the head to below the eyes covered with rough, minutely warty, dull reddish skin thinly grown with short, black "hairs"; plumage brownish gray, with more or less silvery gray and buify ochraceous. Im. — Similar, but whole head feathered, and with more butfy ochraceous in the plumage. " L., 40-00-48-00 ; W., 21-83 ; Tar., 10 25 ; B., 5-47 " (Ridgw.). Range. — Florida, Georgia, and northward through the Mississippi Valley to Manitoba ; breeds locally throughout its range ; winters in the Gulf States from Florida to Texas. Nest.^ of roots, rushes, weed stalks, etc., on the ground in marshy places. Eggs., two, olive-gray, spotted and blotched with distinct and obscure cinna- mon-brown markings, 3-90 x 2-40. "These birds in their habits are similar to the Whooping [Crane], but much more numerous. Their loud, modulating, sonorous croak announces their presence, and is often heard during the night as well as the day. " During courtship and the early breeding season their actions and antics at times are ludicrous in the extreme, bowing and leaping high in the air, hopping, skipping, and circling about with drooping wings and croaking whoop, an almost indescribable dance and din, in which the females (an exception to the rule) join, all working themselves up into a fever of excitement only equaled by an Indian war dance, and, like the same, it only stops when the last one is exhausted " (Goss). Family ARAMiDiE. Courlans. Courlans might be called large Rails with some of the habits of Herons. Two species are known. Aramus scolopaceus of South America, RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 139 and A. giganteus of Central America, Mexico, the West Indies, and Florida. They frequent the borders of wooded streams and swamps, and at times the uplands. Their flight is short, and when on the wing their legs dangle below them. Like the Herons, they perch in trees. Their prolonged, melancholy call- has won for them the name " Crying- bird." Their usual note is a loud, rather high ivah-ree-oiv ; the last syllable is drawn out into a wail, and the effect is most grewsome. Courlans feed to a large extent on land shells {Ampullaria\ and, as Prof. W. B. Barrows has shown, the tip of the Courlan's bill is some- times turned slightly to one side, an evident result of forcing it into the spiral opening of the shell to extract the animal. 207. Aramus giganteus {Bonap.). Limpkin; Crying-bird; Cour- LAN. (See Fig. 24.) Ad. — Glossy olive-brown, the feathers of the head and neck narrowly, those of the body broadly, striped Avith white ; wings and tail more bronzy. Jm. — Similar, but paler and duller. L., 28-00 ; W., 13-00 ; Tar., 4-50 ; B., 4-25. Banye. — Central America and West Indies north to Eio Grande Valley and Florida. Xest., of leaves, twigs, etc., in a bush or small tree. Eggs., four to seven, pale buffy white, blotched, stained, and speckled with light cinnamon-brown, 2-30 X 1-70. This is a locally distributed species in Florida. Its general habits are described in the remarks on the family Aramidce. Family Eallid^. Rails, Gallinules, and Coots. The one hundred and eighty species contained in this family are distributed throughout the greater part of the world, fifteen species inhabiting Xorth America. Bails and Gallinules are not strictly gre- garious, but are generally associated through a community of inter- ests ; Coots, however, are usually found in flocks. Rails inhabit grassy marshes, in which they seek safety by running or hiding, taking to wing when pursued only as a last resort. Their flight is then short and labored, and with dangling legs they soon drop back into cover. Nevertheless, they perform extended migrations, traveling hundreds of miles without resting. Gallinules live near the marshy borders of bodies of water, while the more aquatic Coots resemble some Ducks in habits. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Bill over 1-75. A. Cheeks below the eye cinnamon-riifous, like the breast; flanks black barred with white; upper parts rich olive-brown streaked with black. 208. King Rail. JS. Clieek below the eye gray ; flanks generally gray or brownish, barred with white ; upper parts generally grayish, streaked Avith black. 2n. Clapper Rail and races. 140 RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. II. Bill under 1-75. A. Wing over 6-00. a. General color blue, feet yellow 218. 1'urple Gallinule. . b. General color slaty, feet dark greenish. b^. Toes with large scalloped webs or flaps at the side. 221. Am. Coot. b^. Toes without flaps or webs 219. Florida Gallinule. £. Wing under G-00. a. Wing under 3-50. fli. Back blackish, with small round, white spots . 216. Black Kail. a". Back blackish, barred with white and margined witli buffy. 215. Yellow Kail. b. Wing over 8-50. bK Bill over 1-00 212. Virginia Kail. c\ Bill under 1-00. c3. Wing over 4-50, lesser wing-coverts rufous . 217. Corn Crake. c3. Wing under 4-50, lesser wing-coverts olive .... 214. Sora. 208. "RaXivLS elegajxs Aud. King Kail; Marsh Hen. Ad.— -Upper parts varying from olive-brown to black, the back and scapulars widely mar- gined with olive-gray; wings and tail olive-brown; wing-coverts rufous; throat white; neck and breast cinnamon-rufous; belly and sides y«sco?/5, sharply barred with white. Doivny Young — Glossy black. L., 15*00; W., 6-50 ; Tar., 2-20 ; B., 2-40. Range. — Eastern North America; breeds as far north as Missouri and southern Connecticut, and occasionally strays as far as Wisconsin, Ontario, and Maine ; winters from Virginia southward. W^ashington, uncommon S. K., almost a P. K. Long Island, rare S. K. Jsfest., of grasses, on the ground in fresh-water marshes. Eggs.^ seven to twelve, bufty white, more heavily spotted and speckled with rufous-brown than those of the next species, 1'68 x 1'20. The King Rail is the fresh-water representative of the Chipper Rail. It is, however, a much less common bird, and less is known of its habits. Like other Rails, it is a skulker, and never flies when it can escape by running or hiding in the dense grass of its home. On three occasions I have heard what I am quite sure was the King Rail's call, a loud, startling hup, Mp, hup, hup, hup, uttered with increasing ra- pidity until the syllables were barely distinguishable, then ending some- what as it began. The whole performance occupied about five seconds. 211. Rallus longirostris crepitans {Gmel.). Clapper Kail; Marsh Hen. (See Fig. 22, a.) Jr/.— Upper parts very pale greenish olive, the feathers widely margined with gray ; wings and tail grayish brown ; wing-coverts pale cinnamon, much washed with gray; throat white; neck and breast 2^ale, between ochraceous and cream-buft", more or less washed with grayish ; belly and sides gray or brownish gray, barred with white. Downy J ott;v<7— Glossy black. L., 14-50 ; W., 5-00 ; Tar., 2-00 ; B., 2-50. Bemarhs. — The Clapper Kail may always be known from the King Kail KAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. 141 by its generally irrayisli instead of brownish or blackish upper parts, by its much paler breast and flanks and paler wing-coverts. Uange. — Breeds in salt-water marshes of eastern North America from Connecticut to tlie Gulf of Mexico; winters in small numbers from near the northern limit of its range southward. Washington, A. V., one record. Long Island, common S. K., Apl. to Oct., a few winter. Sing Sing, A. V. 2\tst^ of grasses, on the ground, in grass-grown, salt-water marshes. Eggs^ eight to twelve, butfy white, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1'72 x 1*20, The Clapper Rail is an inhabitant of grassy, salt-water marshes, and, in the southern parts of its range, of mangrove swamps. It is almost impossible to flush these birds unless their haunts are invaded by an unusually high tide, when a boat may be pushed through the meadows and the birds forced to take wing. I have heard birds calling in the tall grass within a few feet of me, and have made a wild rush in their direction, only to be mocked a moment later by apparently the same bird calling from a point almost within reach. They dodge about over well-traveled pathways like children in a game of blindman's buff. While not strictly gregarious, they live in colonies, and the long, rolling call of one bird is sometimes taken up and repeated by others until there is a general outcry through the marsh. 211a. R. 1. saturatus Hensh. Louisiana Clapper Rail.— A local race of the Clapper Rail found in the marshes of Louisiana. Its characters appear not to be well understood. It is much darker than crepitans^ but not so dark as scottii. " W., 5-65 ; Tar., 1-97 ; B., 2-27 " (Ridgw.). Uange. — Coast of Louisiana. 211b. R. I. scottii {Senn.). Florida Clapper Rail.— Differs from crepitans in being black, fuscous, or olive-brown above, with olive-gray mar- gins to the feathers; in having the neck and breast cinnamon-rufous washed with brownish, and in having the belly and flanks black instead of gray. In fact, the general color of scottii suggests a King Rail, but the latter may always be known by its rufous wing-coverts and clear cinnamon-rufous neck and breast. W., 5-50 ; Tar., 1-90 ; B., 2-40. Range. — Gulf coast of Florida. 212. Rallus virginianus Zmn. Virginia Rail. ^<^.— Upper parts fuscous or black, the feathers bordered by pale grayish brown ; wings and tail dark grayish brown ; wing-coverts rufous, lores whitish, cheeks gray, throat white, rest of the under parts cinnamon-rufous ; flanks and under tail- coverts baiTed or spotted with black and white. Downy low«^.— Glossy black. L., 9-50 ; W., 4-30 ; Tar., 1-30 ; B., 1-50. Range. — Breeds from northern Illinois, Pennsylvania, and Long Island to Manitoba and Labrador ; winters from near the southern limit of its breeding range southward. Washington, probably P. R. Long Island, common S. R., Apl. to Oct. ; a 142 RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. few winter. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. E. to Sept. 29. Cambridge, common S. E., Apl. 20 to Oct. 15. Nest^ of grasses, on the ground in marshes. Eggs^ six to twelve, pale buffy white, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1-26 x •9<3. In almost any extensive fresh or brackish marsh, especially if it has beds of cat-tail flags or scattered thickets of low bushes and briers, one may hear in May and June, particularly in the early morning, late afternoon, or during cloudy weather, a succession of grunting sounds not unlike those of a hungry pig. Although by no means loud, they have a penetrating quality which makes them carry to a considerable distance ; and they are apt to attract attention even when, as is usually the case, they mingle with the songs of innumerable Red-winged Blackbirds, Marsh Wrens, and other swamp-loving birds. It is no easy matter to trace them to their author, but if you are persevering and at the same time fortunate, you may at length discover him skulk- ing under a bush or behind a tuft of grass. He is the Virginia Rail, an odd-looking bird about the size of a Snipe. If you remain motion- less, he may presently come out into fairer view and walk slowly' around the edge of some pool, lifting and putting down his large feet with curious deliberation, cocking up his absurdly short tail at each step, and every now and then stopping to thrust his bill deep into the ooze in search of food. As he pauses to look at you, you are struck by his half-quizzical, half-sinister expression, due, no doubt, to the fact that his eyes are blood-red and deeply sunk in their long, narrow head. Startle him by some sudden movement, and he will do one of three things — dart back into cover as swiftly as a frightened mouse, skip across the pool over the floating leaves of the water plants, using both wings and feet, or rise with feebly fluttering wings and hanging legs to fly only a few rods before dropping beyond some intervening screen of grass or bushes. In any case you are not likely to find him again on this occasion. Besides the grunting sound, the Virginia Rail utters during the breeding season, especially at night and in lowering weather, a gut- tural cut, cutta-cufta-cutta, often repeated at brief intervals for hours in succession. This cry appears to be peculiar to the male, and is, no doubt, his love song. When heard at a distance of only a few yards it has a vibrating, almost unearthly quality, and seems to issue from the ground directly beneath one's feet. The female, when anxious about her eggs or young, calls Ici-ki-ki in low tones, and Mu much like a Flicker. The young of both sexes in autumn give, when startled, a short, explosive kep or kik, closely similar to that of the Carolina Rail. William Brewster. RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS. I43 214. Porzana Carolina (Z^'/zn.)- Sora; Carolina Rail. (See Fig. 22, ('.) Ad.—lir'/ivn iil)Out th(j ba.se of the bill, center of crown, and a line down the middle of the neck black ; rest of the breast and throat, sides of the head, and front part of the crown pale blue-gray ; rest of the upper parts olive-brown, most of the feathers with black centers, the scapulars and back streaked on either side with white ; wings fuscous-brown, tlieir coverts gray- ish cinnamon, outer edge of first primary white ; lower belly white, flanks barred with black and wliite. Im. — Similar, but without black at the base of the bill or on the throat; breast washed with cinnamon and upper parts darker. L., 8-50; W., 4-30; Tar., 1-30; B., -80. Eange. — Breeds from Kansas, Illinois, and Long Island northward to Hudson Bay ; winters from South Carolina to northern South America. Washington, common T. V., Mch. ; July to Nov. Long Island, com- mon T. v., Apl. and May; Aug. to Oct.; rare S. R. Sing Sing, common T. v.. May ; Aug. 19 to Oct. 24. Cambridge, very common S. E., Apl. 20 to Oct. 20. Nest^ of grasses, on the ground in marshes. Eggs^ eight to fifteen, bufty white or ochraceous-bulF, spotted and speckled with rufous-brown, 1-24 x -90. The Soras' summer home is in fresh-water marshes, where, if it were not for their notes, the reeds and grasses would long keep the secret of their presence. But knowing their calls, yon have only to pass a May or June evening near a marsh to learn whether they in- habit it. If there, they will greet you late in the afternoon with a clear whistled ker-wee, which soon comes from dozens of invisible birds about you, and long after night has fallen it continues like a springtime chorus of piping hylas. Now and again it is interrupted by a high-voiced, rolling whinny which, like a call of alarm, is taken up and repeated by different birds all over the marsh. They seem so absorbed by their musical devotions that even when calling continuously it requires endless patience and keen eyes to .see the dull-colored, motionless forms in places where one would not sup- pose there was sufficient growth to conceal them. Floating silently near the shore on my back in a canoe, I have seen them venture out to feed. With tails erect they step gingerly along, evidently aware of their exposed position, for on the least alarm they dart back to cover. Sometimes they cross small streams by swim-- ming, and they are expert divers. In the fall they gather in the wild-rice or wild-oat {Zizania aqnat- ica) marshes, and a well-directed stone or unusual noise may bring a series of protesting interrogative A;?. Under parts chestnut-rufous, barred with black. 251. HuDSONiAN Godwit. &2. Under parts white, with or Avithout blackish bars. 258. Willet. 258a. Western Willet. * See Fig. 04. 152 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. II. Bill under 200. A. Tail with cross-bars. a. Wing over 5*75. «!. Outer tail-feathers white, more or less barred ; outer primary with' out bars 255. Yellow-legs. a2. Outer primary with numerous black bars. 261. Bartramian Sandpiper. h. Wing under 5-75. b^. Under parts white, with numerous round blackish spots ; upper parts brownish gray, barred with blackish . . 263. Spotted Sandpiper. J2. Under parts white, breast streaked with blackish ; upper parts fus- cous, spotted with white 256. Solitary Sandpiper. b^. Under parts tinged with buffy, inner web of outer primary speckled with blackish 262. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. b*. Under parts white, breast washed with grayish, inner primaries and secondaries with a concealed white patch. 263. Spotted Sandpiper (Ira.). £. Tail without cross-bars, toes 4. a. Bill over 1-10. Qi. Middle upper tail-coverts with cross-bars or streaks. a^. Tarsus over 1-50 233. Stilt Sandpiper. a3. Tarsus under 1 "50, wing under 6"00. . 244. Curlew Sandpiper. a*. Tarsus under 1-50, wing over 6-00 234. Knot. Ji. Middle upper tail-coverts black or fuscous, without bare ; bill straight. b^. Tarsus under 1-50 ; upper parts blackish, more or less margined with gray 235. Purple Sandpiper. is. Tarsus under 1-50 ; upper parts more or less margined with rufous. 239. Pectoral Sandpiper. b*. Tarsus over 1-50 260. Euff. c^. Middle upper tail-coverts grayish, bill curved slightly downward. 243a. Eed-backed Sandpiper. d. Bill under 1-10. b^. Wing under 4-00. b^. Toes partly webbed. 246. Semipalmated Sandpiper. 247. Western Sandpiper. bK Toes not webbed 242. Least Sandpiper. ch Wing over 4-00, inner webs of primaries plain. c2. Breast white or whitish, streaked or spotted with blackish ; micj.- dle upper tail-coverts white . . 240. White-rumped Sandpiper. c3. Breast buify, lieavily spotted or streaked with blackish ; middle upper tail-coverts black, slightly margined with rufous. 239. Pectoral Sandpiper. c*. Breast buffy lightly spotted or streaked with black ; middle upper tail-coverts fuscous, lightly margined with buffy. 241. Baird's Sandpiper. r Snipe (229. GalUnago gallinago) inhabits the nortliern parts of the Old World, is of frequent occurrence in Greenland, and accidental in the Bermudas. 231. Macrorhaznphus griseus (6^m€^.). Dowitcher. (See Figs. 25, a, 26, c.) Ad. in summer. — Upper parts, tertials, and wing-coverts black, the feathers edged or barred with ochraceous-buft" or rufous ; rump, upper tail- coverts, and tail barred with black and more or less ochraceous-butf ; prima- ries fuscous ; under parts dull, pale rufous, whitish on the belly, more or less spotted and barred with black. A4. in winter. — Upper parts brownish gray ; rump and tail barred with black and white; throat and breast washed with ashy, belly white, sides and under tail-coverts barred with black. Im. — Upper parts black, the feathers edged with rufous; rump and tail barred with black and white, and sometimes washed with rufous ; secondaries widely edged with white ; under parts more or less washed with ochraceous-buft and obscurely spotted with blackish. L., 10-50; W., 5-75; Tar., 1-30; B., 2-05-2-50. Remarlcs. — The barred tail and tail-coverts, with the peculiar flattened, pitted tip of the bill, are characteristic of this and the next species. Range. — Eastern North America, breeding within the Arctic Circle, and wintering from Florida to South America. Washington, casual, one specimen, Sept. Long Island, common T. Y., May; July to Sept. 15. Eggs, four, light buft'y olive, distinctly spotted and speckled, especially about the larger end, with deep brown, 1-65 x 1-13 (Ridgw.). The Dowitchers are among our best-known Bay Birds. They migrate in compact flocks which are easily attracted to decovs by an imitation of their call. Mud-flats and bars exposed by the falling tide are their chosen feeding grounds. On the Gulf coast of Florida I have 156 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. seen several hundred gathered in such close rank that they entirely concealed the sandbar on which they were resting. 232. Macrorhamphus scolopaceus (Sai/). Long-billed Dow- itchek; Western Dowitciiek. Ad. In fiu/nuur. — Similar to the preceding, but averaging lai-ger; the bill especially is longer, the under parts are more uniformly rufous, and the sides are more heavily barred with black. Ad. in winter and Im. — To be distinguished from the corresponding stages of M. gri- seus only by their larger size. W., 6-00 ; Tar., 1-50 ; B., 2-10-2-90, Range. — " Mississippi Valley and western province of North America trom Mexico to Alaska ; less common, but of regular occurrence along the Atlantic coast of the United States" (A, 0. U.). Washington, casual, seven shot in Apl, Long Island, casual, July to Oct. . Eggs^ four, not distinguishable from those of the preceding species. This is a bird of the interior and Western States, and occurs on our coasts as a rare but regular late fall migrant. It resembles the pre- ceding species in habits, but the baymen who " gun " for Snipe say they can recognize it by its somewhat different notes. Like the Wood- cock, Wilson's Snipe, and its near ally, 31. griseus, the rilale utters a flight song in the nesting season. It is well described by Mr. E. W. Nelson in his Report on Collections made in Alaska, p. 101. 233. Micropalama himantopus (Bonap.). Stilt Sandpiper. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black, bordered with grayish and buffy ; ear- coverts and an indistinct line around the back of the head rufous ; second- aries grayish, edged with white ; primaries fuscous ; rump ashy : upper tail- coverts barred with black and white; outer tail-feathers with broken dusky bars, inner ones with central streaks or margins of brownish gray or white ; under parts white, heavily barred with fuscous. Ad. in winter. — Upper parts brownish gray; upper tail-coverts tvhite ; tail white, margined with brownish gray; under parts white; the throat, neck, and sides indistinctly streaked or washed with grayish. Im. — Similar to the preceding, but the upper parts black- ish, margined with ochraceous-buff. L., 8-25; W., 5-00; Tar., 1-60; B., 1-55. Remarlcs. — The distinguishing characters of this species are the flattened, pitted tip of the bill, in connection with the very long tarsi. Range. — Eastern North America, breeding within the Arctic Circle, and wintering as far south as South America. Washington, casual, one record. Long Island, not uncommon T. V., May ; July to Oct. 10. Eggs.^ three to four, pale grayish buff', or grayish buff'y white, boldly spotted with rich vandyke-brown and purplish gray, 1-42 x 1-00 (Eidgw.). Colonel N. S. Goss, in his admirable Birds of Kansas, writes that he has observed this species along the edges of old channels of rivers or muddy pools of water, in which it wades while feeding; immersing the head and feeling with its sensitive bill in the thin mud for food. It moves about rather slowly as compared with the true Sandpipers, and at times will try and avoid detection by squatting close to the SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. I57 ground, flying only as a last resort, and then darting swiftly away with a sharp tweet, tweet. 234. Tringa canutus Linn. Knot; Kobin Snipe; Gray Snipe. (See Figs. 25, 6, -20,6.) Ad. in, summer. — Upper parts barred and streaked with black and white and rufous ; tail ashy gray, narrowly margined with whitish ; under parts dull rufous ; lower belly white or whitish, sides sometimes with black bars. (According to George H. Mackay, it requires about four years for birds to acquire this plumage. See Auk, x, 1893, p. 25.) Jm. — Upper parts plain brownish gray ; upper tail-coverts barred with black and white, tail brownish gray ; breast and sides barred with black, belly white. Young. — Upper parts pale brow'nish gray; head streaked with blackish; back, wing- coverts, and scapulars with distinct black and white borders ; upper tail-cov- eits barred with blackish ; tail ashy gray, narrowly margined with white ; under parts white ; breast finely streaked or spotted with blackish ; flanks barred or streaked with blackish. L., 10-50; W., 6-75; Tar., 1-20; B., 1-30. Range. — Northern hemisphere, breeding within the Arctic Circle, and in America w^intering from Florida to South America. Long Island, not uncommon T. V., May 15 to June 10 ; July 15 to Nov. JEggs., known from only one specimen collected in the vicinity of Fort Conger by General Greely, and described as " light pea-green, closely spotted with brown in small specks about the size of a pinhead," 1*10 x 1-00 (see Merriam, Auk, ii, 1885, p. 313). Knots feed along the beaches on the small crustaceans and mol- Jusca brought in by the waves, and they also frequent muddy places, where, like the true Snipe, they probe the ground for food. They decoy with ease, " bunching " so closely as they wheel into the stools that the entire flock is sometimes killed by a single discharge. Mr. George H. Mackay, in one of his careful and detailed studies of our Shore Birds, describes their notes as a soft wah-guoif and a little hnnJc. The first is particularly noticeable when flocks are coming to the de- coys (see Auk, x, 1893, pp. 25-35). 235. Tringa maritixna Bri'mn. PuPvPle Sandpiper. Ad. in sum- mer.— Upper parts black, margined with ochraceous-buff and cream-buff; wings fuscous-gray, greater coverts margined with white and some seconda- ries entirely white.; upper tail-coverts ,/«5Cf)?-/«, outer tail-feathers ashy gray, inner ones fuscous ; throat and breast brownish gray, streaked with black ; belly white, sides and under tail-coverts streaked with brownish gray. Win- ter plvmaqe. — Head, neck, breast, and sides ashy, the two latter margined with white ; back fuscous, margined with ashy ; wings fuscous, the coverts, secondaries, and tertials distinctly bordered with white; upper tail-coverts and middle tail-feathers black or fuscous, outer tail-feathers ashy; belly and linings of the wings white. L., 9-00 ; W., 5*00 ; Tar., 9-00 ; B., 1-40. Remarks. — The brownish gray or ashy breast of this species is a good divstinguishing character. Ran^ge. — " Northern portions of the northern hemisphere ; in North Amer- 158 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. ica chiefly in the northeastern portion, breeding in the high north," south in winter to the Great Lakes and Long Island, and casually to Florida. Long Island, uncommon W. V., Nov. 1 to Mch. 1. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. Eggs^ three to four, olive clay-color or brownish ashy, heavily marked with rufous-brown, 1-45 x 1-08. This bird might be called Winter Snipe or Rock Snipe. Indeed, I find the latter name has been applied to it from its habit of frequent- ing rocky coasts, where it secures its food in the algse attached to rocks exposed by the falling tide. 239. Tringa maculata Vieill. Pectoral Sandpiper; Krieker. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black, the feathers all heavily bordered with pale ochraceous-butf ; rump and upper tail-coverts hlacTc, lightly tipped with ochraceous-buff ; middle tail-feathers longest, pointed and margined with buffy; outer tail-feathers brownish gray, narrowly margined with white; throat white, neck and breast heavily streaked with black and butfy ; rest of under parts white. Winter j^lumage. — Similar, but ochraceous-buff of upper parts replaced by rufous, and breast heavily washed with buffy. L., 9.00 ; W., 5-40; Tar., 1-10; B., 1-15. Uernarhs. — This bird somewhat resembles both T.fuscicoUis and T. bairdiij but it differs from them in its larger size, black instead of white or fuscous upper tail- coverts, and longer, more pointed middle tail-feathers. Range. — North America; breeds in the arctic regions and winters in the West Indies and South America. Washington, common T. V., Apl. ; Aug. to Nov. Long Island, T. V., rare in spring, common from July 15 to Nov. 1. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept_ 10 to Oct. Ifi. Cambridge, irregular and uncommon in Sept. and Oct. Eggs., four, drab, sometimes with a greenish tinge, blotched with clear amber-brown markings, more numerous at the larger end, 1*50 x 1-09 (Mur- doch). The names Grass Snipe and Krieker describe with equal truth and conciseness the haunts and notes of this Snipe. It frequents wet, grassy meadows rather than beaches, and, although it flies in flocks, the birds scatter while feeding and take wing one or more at a time. They thus remind one of Wilson's Snipe. Their note is a squeaky, grating whistle. They will respond to an imitation of it. but do not decoy so readily as the larger Bay Birds. Mr. E. W\ Nelson writes * that during the breeding season the male inflates its breast and throat nntil they are double their normal size, and utters a deep, hollow, reso- nant note. 240. Tringa fuscicollis Vieill. White-rumped Sandpiper. Ad. in mmwer.— Upper parts black, edged with rufous: rump grayish fuscous, margined with ashy ; longer upper tail-coverts wM.te, with sometimes brownish- * Rep. on Nat. Hist. Colls, made in Alaska, p. 108. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 159 gray markino^s ; central tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones brownish gray ; upper throat white ; neck, breast, and bides distinctly streaked and spotted with black and more or less washed with ochraceous-bulJ'. Winter plumage. — " Upper parts plain brownish gray, with indistinct, narrowed, mesial streaks of dusky; otherwise as in summer, but streaks on chest, etc., less distinct" (Ridgw.). /w.— Similar to summer examples, but the feathers of the upper parts with rounded whitish or ochraceous-butf tips; breast less distinctly streaked. L., Y'oO ; W., 4-90 ; Tar., -90 ; B., -95. EemarTcs. — The white upper tail-coverts distinguish this species. Range. — Eastern North America, breeding in the arctic regions and win- tering as far south as the Falkland Islands. Long Island, not uncommon T. V., July 20 to Oct 10. Sing Sing, casual T. v., Sept. Eggs, three to four, light olive, or olive brownish, spotted (usually rather finely) with deep brown and dull, purplish gray, 1-37 x -94 (Eidgw.). "They frequent the sandy beach as well as the marshy shores upon the coast, but inland seem to prefer the edges of pools of water upon the uplands. They move in small flocks, are very social, often associating with other waders, are not as a rule shy or timid, and, when startled, usually fly but a short distance, drop back, and run about in an unconcerned and heedless manner, picking up the minute forms of life that usually abound in such places, occasionally uttering a rather sharp, piping wed, west. Their flight is swift and well sustained " (Goss). 241. Tringa bairdii ( Coues). Baird's Sandpiper. Ad. in summer. — L'pper parts fuscous ; feathers of the crown and nape margined laterally with pale butfy ; back and scapulars tipped with pale buffy or brownish gray ; middle upper tail-coverts fuscous., sometimes tipped w'ith butfy ; central tail- feathers fuscous, margined with whitish, outer ones pale brownish gray ; throat white ; breast washed with buffy and lightly spotted or streaked with fuscous ; sides and belly white. Im. — Similar, but the back, scapulars, and wing-cov- erts with rounded white tips. (In the winter these tips are more or less w^orn off.) L., 7-40 ; W., 4-90 ; Tar., -90 ; B., -85. Remarks. — This bird most closely resembles T. fuscicollis. In any plum- age it may be known from that species by the fuscous instead of white middle upper tail-coverts. In summer it differs also in the absence of rufous above, the less heavily spotted throat, and the Avhite instead of spotted sides. In winter the chief distinguishing marks of the two species, aside from the dif- ferently colored upper tail-coverts, are the butty breast and generally paler upper parts of bairdii. Range.— \nter\ov of North America, breeding in the arctic regions and migrating southward to South America; rare on the Atlantic coast. Washington, casual, one record. Long Island, casual, Aug. Eggs., three to four, light, creamy buff, sometimes tinged with rusty, thickly speckled and spotted with deep reddish brown or chestnut, 1"30 x -93 (Ridgw. J. 160 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. .—Least Sandpiper. (Natural size.) " In habits they are similar to the White-rumped (which they so closely resemble), but are more inclined to wander from the water's edge. I have flushed the birds on high prairie lands, at least a mile from the water " (Goss). 242* Tringa minutillai Vieill. Least Sandpiper ; Meadow Oxeye ; Peep. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black or fuscous, edged and tipped with buffy or rufous; rump and middle upper tail-coverts plain black or fus- cous ; central tail-feathers black or fuscous, outer ones ashy gray ; upper throat white ; neck and breast white or bufty, streaked with fuscous ; belly and sides white. Inn. — Similar, but feathers of the back with rounded rufous or buffy tips ; breast not distinctly streaked. Winter plumage. — Upper parts brown- ish gray, sometimes with more or less black in the centers of the feathers ; breast white or ashy, not distinctly streaked. L., 6-00; W., 3-50; Tar., •70; B., 75. Remarks. — This is the smallest of our Sandpipers, and can be confused only with Ereunetes pusillus^ from which, however, it may always be distin- guished by the absence of webs between the bases of the toes. Range. — North America, "breeding in the arctic regions and wintering from the Gulf States to South America. Washington, uncommon T. V., May ; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, abun- dant T. v., Apl. 25 through May; July through Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., May 9 to May 22 ; Oct. 3. Cambridge, very common T. V., May 25 to May 31 ; July 20 to Aug. 31. Eggs., three to four, pale, grayish buffy, varying to pale brownish^ thickly spotted, speckled, or sprinkled with deep chestnut and dull, purpli&h gray, 1-15 X -83 (Ridgw.). This, the smallest of our Sandpipers, is frequently associated with its larger cousin the Semipalmated Sandpiper on the shores and beaches, but it also visits the grassy meadows, and for this reason is known by baymen as the " Meadow Oxeye." 243ai* Tringa. a/lpina; pacifica> (C'o?/^^). Eed-backed Sandpiper; Leadback. Ad. in summer.— Vi^'^GX parts broadly margined with rufous, the centers of the feathers black, wings brownish gray ; breast whitish, lightly streaked with blackish ; middle of the belly with a large hlack patchy lower belly white. Im. — Upper parts blackish, the feathers with rounded tips of rufous or buffy ; breast washed with buffy and indistinctly streaked with blackish ; belly spotted with black. Winter plumage. — Upper parts brown- ish gray; middle upper tail-coverts fuscous; wing-coverts brownish gray margined with buff'y ; throat white ; breast ashy, indistinctly streaked ; belly SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 161 ■white, the sides sometimes spotted with black. L., 8-00 ; W., 4-75 ; Tar., 1-00 ; B., 1-50. EemarJcs. — There is, of course, every degree of intergradation between summer and winter plumage, but the species may always be known by its slightly curved bill. Range. — North America, breeding in the arctic regions and wintering from Florida southward ; rare in the interior. Washington, rare T. V., Apl. ; Oct. Long Island, T. V., uncommon in Fig. 63.— Red-backed Sandpiper. (Natural size.) spring, Apl. 1 to May 15 ; common in fall, Aug. 31 through Oct. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. in fall, Oct. 3 to Oct. 24. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Oct. I^ggs., three to four, varying from pale, bluish white to ochraceous-buff, heavily marked with chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1*43 x I'Ol. ■ Generally speaking, this is a shore or beach bird, though it also visits grassy marshes. It flies and feeds in flocks, and is an unsus- picious, rather stupid little Snipe, less active than most members of this family. The gray-plumaged fall birds are known as " Leadbacks," while in the spring they go by the names " Blackbreast " or " Redback." The DuNLiK {243. Tringa alpina) is the Old-World representative of our Eed-backed Sandpiper, from which it differs only in being less brightly colored and somewhat smaller. L., about 7*40; W., 4-12-4-50; Tar., -78-90; B., l-05-l'25. It is of casual occurrence in North America. The Curlew Sandpiper {2I^J^. Tringa ferruginea) inhabits the eastern hemisphere, and occurs casually in eastern North America. It has been re- corded from Ontario, Nova Scotia, Maine, Massachusetts, and Long Island. 246. Ereiinetes pusillus (Linn.). Semipalmated Sandpiper ; Sand OxEYE ; Peep. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black or fuscous, margined with brownish gray and a small amount of rufous ; rump grayish brown ; upper tail-coverts blackish ; tail-feathers brownish gray, central ones darkest ; breast streaked or spotted with blackish. Im. — Similar, but upper parts and wing- coverts blackish, with rounded rufous or huffy tips to the feathers ; breast un- 13 162 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. streaked, tinted with buffy. Winter piumage. — Upper parts brownish gray, with darker shaft streaks ; upper tail-coverts darker ; under parts white, some- times with faint streaks on the breast. L., 6-30 ; W., 3-75 ; Tar., -75 ; B., -GS-SO. Remarhs. — The small size of this and the next species prevents their be- ing confused with any other except Tringa riiinutllla^ from which they may always be known by their partially webbed toes. Range. — Eastern North America; breeds in the arctic regions, and winters from the Gulf States southward through Brazil. Washington, rare T. V., May ; Aug. to Oct. Long Island, abundant T. V., May ; July through Sept. Sing Sing, common T, V. in fall, Aug. 14 to Oct. 20. Cambridge, very common in Aug. and Sept. Eggs, three to four, pale, dull grayish buff", sprinkled, speckled, or spotted with dark brown and purplish gray, 1-21 x -85 (Eidgw.). The thought of these little Sandpipers always creates a mental pic- ture of a long stretch of dazzling beach with its ever-changing surf- line. I hear the oft-repeated booming of the rolling, tumbling break- ers, and in the distance see a group of tiny forms hurrying to and fro over the sand smoothed by the frothy waves. With what nimble grace- fulness they follow the receding waves, searching for treasures cast up by the sea ! What contentment and good-fellowship are expressed by their cheery, conversational twitterings ! Up and down the beach they run, now advancing, now retreating, sometimes, in their eagerness, ven- turing too far, when the waters threaten to ingulf them, and in momen- tary confusion they take wing and hover back to a place of safety. Suddenly, as though at a signal, they are off; a compact flock moving as one bird, twisting and turning to right and left, now gleaming white as the sun strikes their snowy bodies, now dark again like a wisp of sunless cloud flying before the wind. 247. Ereunetes occidentalis Lmvr. Western Semipalmated Sandpiper. — This bird closely resembles the preceding, from which, in sum- mer plumage, it differs in having the upper parts conspicuously margined with rufous and the breast more heavily streaked. In fall and winter plum- age the differences in coloration are not so apparent, but the birds are to be distinguished at any season by the size of the bill, which in the western spe- cies always averages longer. W., 3-80 ; Tar., 80 ; B., •85-1-20. Range. — Western North America; breeds in the arctic regions, and win- ters from the Gulf States to South America ; occasional on the Atlantic coast. Long Island, uncommon T. V., occurring with E. pusillus. Eggs., three to four, deep cinnamon buffy, sprinkled, speckled, or thickly spotted with bright rusty brown or chestnut, the general aspect decidedly rusty, 1-24 x -87 (Eidgw.). This western representative of the preceding species is sorhetimes found on our coasts associated with its eastern relative. In Florida, particularly on the Gulf coast, it occurs in numbers during the winter. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 163 248. Ca^lidris SLvensiria, {Linn.). Sanderling; Surf Snipe. Ad. in summer. — Feathers of tlie upper parts with generally black centers, bor- dered and sometimes barred with pale rufous and tipped Avith ashy white ; wings fuscous, the basal half of the outer web of the inner primaries white ; wing-coverts grayish fuscous, the greater one broadly tipped with white ; tail brownish gray, narrowly margined Avith white; throat and upper breast washed with pale rufous and spotted Avith blackish ; rest of the under parts pure white. Im. in fall. — Similar, but upper parts Avithout rufous, glossy black, the feathers sometimes bordered Avith Avhite, but generally with two Avhite spots at their tips separated by the black of the central part of the feather; nape grayish Avhite, lightly streaked with blackish; under parts pure white, with occasionally a fcAV spots on the breast. Winter plumage. — Upper parts pale brownish gray, Avings as in the preceding ; under parts ^9^^/-^ Avhite. L., 8-00 ; W., 5-00 ; Tar., 1-00 ; B., 1-00. Remarks. — The Sanderling is the only one of our Snipes or Sandpipers having three toes, and it may ahvays be known by this character in combi- nation with its booted or transversely scaled tarsi. Range. — '' Nearly cosmopolitan, breeding in arctic and subarctic regions ; migrating, in America, south to Chili and Patagonia" (A. 0. U.). Washington, casual T. V., two records. Long Island, common T. V., Mch. 15 through May ; Aug. 1 through Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., to June 5; Sept. 9 to Oct. 5. Cambridge, casual, one instance, Sept. Eggs., three to four, light olive-brown, finely spotted or speckled Avith darker, the markings larger and more blended on the larger end, 1-41 x -91 (Eidgw.). This is a true beach bird, and is usually found on shores Avashed by the sea. It frequently associates Avith the Semipalmated Sandpiper or Oxeye. Avhich it resembles in habits,, but its larger size and lighter colors distinguish it from that species. 249. Limosa fedoa {Linn.). Marbled Godwit; Brown Margin. Ad. — Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked with buffy, the back barred or the feathers spotted on the sides and sometimes tipped Avith buffy or ochraceous-buff ; inner Aveb of the outer primaries and both webs of the inner ones ocliraceous-buff or pale buffy, speckled Avith black ; tail ochraceous- buff barred Avith black ; throat white, rest of the under parts pale buffy, spotted or barred with black; bill curved slightly upward, yelloAvish at the base, black at the end. Im.. — Similar, but the under parts with fcAV or no bars except on the flanks and under tail-coverts. L., 18-00 : W., 8-75 ; Tar., 2-75 ; B., 4-00. Range. — North America, breeding chiefly in the interior, from western Minnesota, and rarely loAva and Nebraska, north AA-ard, and migrating south- ward to Central America and Cuba; rare on the Atlantic coast. Long Island, rare T. V., Aug. and Sept. Eggs, three to four, clay-color or broAvnish ashy, blotched, spotted, and scrawled with grayish brown, 2-15 x 1-60. Colonel Goss Avrites that this species " inhabits the salt- and fresh- water shores, marshes, and moist ground upon the prairies. It feeds 1(54 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. upon Crustacea, insects, worms, larvae, etc., moving about in a horizontal position, picking and probing as it goes. Its flight is easy and well sustained, though not very rapid ; in alighting, raises the wings over the back as it touches the ground. These birds as a rule are shy, and keep well out of reach. . . ." 251. liimosa hsemastica {Linn.). Hudsonian Godwit; King- tailed Marlin. Ad. — Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked and the back spotted or barred with ochraceous-buif ; primaries black or fuscous ; upper taU-coverts wliite.^ the lateral ones tipped or barred with black ; tail llaclc, with a broad base and a narrow tip of white ; throat bufty, streaked Avith blackish ; under parts chestnut-rufous, barred with black and sometimes tipped with whitish ; axillars hlaclc. L., 15-00 ; W., 8*25 ; Tar., 2-25 ; B., 3-20. Range. — Eastern North America ; breeds in the arctic regions and mi- grates southward, chiefly through the interior, as far as Patagonia. Long Island, rare T. V., Aug. and Sept. Eggs., three to four, deep olive, hair-brown, or broccoli-brown (sometimes paler), usually more or less spotted with darker brown, but sonjetimes nearly uniform, 2-20 x 1-42 (Ridgw.). This bird resembles the preceding in habits, and like it is rare on the Atlantic coast. The Black-tailed Godwit {252. Limosa limosa) inhabits the northern parts of the Old- World and is of accidental occurrence in Greenland. 254. Totanus melanoleucus {Gmel.). Greater Yellow-legs. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked and the back spotted or barred with white or ashy ; upper tail-coverts white, more or less barred with black : tail white or ashy, barred with black ; breast heavily spotted with black ; sides barred with black ; middle of the belly white. Winter plumage.— ^vcaWsiX. but upper parts brownish gray, edged with whit- ish ; sides of the scapulars, tertials, and wing-coverts with blackish and whitish spots; breast only lightly streaked with blackish, and sides slightly barred. L., 14-00 ; W., 7-70 fTar., 2-40 ; B., 2-20. Range.— l^OYth. America ; breeds from Minnesota and rarely northern Illi- nois and Anticosti northward ; winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Washington, rather common T. V., Apl. and May ; July 25 to Nov. Long Island, common T. V., Apl. 10 through May; July 15 through Oct. Sing Sing, common T. V., to June 5 ;— to Oct. 28. Cambridge, common T. V., Apl. 15 to May 25 ; Sept. and Oct. Eggs, three to four, brownish bufFy, distinctly but very irregularly spotted with rich vandyke- or madder-brown, 1-43 x 1-20 (Ridgw.). It needs only the musical notes of the Yellow-leg to recall memo- ries of many days passed along the shore and in the marshes. Half reclining in my blind, I see in fancy the staring decoys, pointing like weathercocks with the wind, and hear the dull booming of surf be- hind the brown sand dunes. SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 165 Few birds are flying; lulled by the lap, lap^oi the water, I have almost fallen asleep, when from far up in the gray sky comes a soft, flutelike whistle, when, wheu-wheu-wheu-wheu, when, wheu-wheu. I re- spond quickly, and, lying on my back, look eagerly upward. Not a bird can be seen, but the questioning call grows stronger and is re- peated more frequently. Finally I distinguish five or six black points sailing in narrow circles so high that I can scarcely believe they are the birds I hear. But no bar or shoal breaks the sound waves. The birds grown larger and on widening circles sweep earthward. Their soft whistle has a plaintive tone ; their long bills turn inquiringly from side to side. The stolid decoys give no response, they repel rather than encourage, but the whistling continues, and with murmured notes of interrogation the deluded birds wheel over them, to find too late that they have blundered. 255. Totanus flavipes {Gmel.). Yellow-legs; Summer Yellow- legs. Ad. in summer.— \^i\])QY parts generally brownish gray, the head and neck streaked with black and white, the back, scapulars, and wing-coverts with sometimes black centers, spotted or tipped with whitish or brownish gray ; upper tail-coverts white, more or less barred with black, tail varying from white to brownish gray, with numerous black or blackish cross-bars ; breast heavily spotted or streaked and sides barred with black ; belly white, legs yellow. Winter plumage. — Similar, but upper parts brownish gray, the sides of the feathers with whitish spots ; tail-bars grayish ; breast lightly streaked Avith ashy. L., 10-75 ; W., 6*40 ; Tar., 2-05 ; B., 1-40. ^ema/'i^s.— This bird closely resembles the Greater Yellow-legs in color, but may always be distinguished by its smaller size. Range.— Isorth. America, breeding chiefly in the interior from Minnesota, northern Illinois, Ontario Comity, N. Y., northward to 'the arctic regions; winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Washington, rather common T. V., Apl. to May 15; Aug. to Nov. Long Island, T. V., very rare in spring, abundant in fall; July 15 to Oct. 1. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V. in fall ; Aug, 25 to Oct. 5. Cambridge, rare in May ; sometimes common in Aug. and early Sept. Eggs, three to four, buffy (variable as to shade), distinctly (sometimes broadly) spotted or blotched with dark madder- or vandyke-brown and pur- plish gray, 1*69 x 1-15 (Ridgw.). This species closely resembles the preceding in notes, habits, and choice of haunts. It decoys, however, more easily, and, generally speaking, is more common. The Greex-shank (253. Totanus nebularius) is an Old- World species, of which three specimens were taken by Audubon, May 28, 1832, near Cape Sable, Florida. It resembles our Greater Yellow-legs, but differs chiefly in having the lower back and rump white. The GREE^^ Sandpiper {257. Totanus ochropus) is an Old-World species which has been recorded once from Nova Scotia. It resembles our Solitary 166 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. Sandpiper, but is larger (W., 5-75), and has the upper tail-coverts pure white. 256. Totanus solitarius ( Wils.). Solitary Sandpiper. Ad. in sutiimer. — Upper parts olive-fuscous, with a sliglit greenish tinge, the head and neck streaked and. the back spotted with white; upper tail-coverts fus- cous, with fine whitish spots on their sides, the lateral ones sometimes barred ; central pair of tail-feathers fuscous, the others white, barred with black; Fig. 64.— Inner view of wing of Solitary Sandpiper, showing barred axillars, breast streaked, and sides sometimes barred with black ; belly Avhite ; axillars barred with black and white ; legs greenish fuscous. Winter plumage. — Simi- lar, but upper parts grayish brown ; head and neck generally unstreaked, and the back only lightly spotted with butfy white ; breast streaked with brown- ish gray. L., 8-40; W., 5-25; Tar., 1-20; B., 1-15. Bange. — Eastern North America; breeds locally and rarely from northern Illinois, western Pennsylvania, and Maine northward ; winters in South America. Washington, common T. V., Apl. to May 25 ; July 25 to Nov. Long Island, common T. V., May: July 15 to Oct. 1. Sing Sing, common T. V,, May 3 to 30 ; Aug. 27 to Oct 2. Cambridire, common T. V., May 15 to 25 ; July 20 to Oct. Eggs., known from only one example taken by Jenness Richardson, near Lake Bombazine, Vermont, May 28, 1878, and described by Dr. Brewer as light drab, with small, rounded, brown markings, some quite dark, nowhere confluent, and at the larger end a few faint purplish shell-marks, 1-39 x -95. This is a wood Sandpiper. It is rarely found on the beaches or salt marshes near the sea, but frequents fresh-water ponds, or lakes and woodland streams, both in the lowlands and mountains. It is gener- erally observed during the migrations, and although it occasionally breeds in the Middle States its skill in concealing its nest has defied the search of oologists. It is a quieter, more dignified bird than the Spotted Sandpiper, and as a rule only utters its " low, whistling notes " when flushed. 258. Ssmiphemia semipalmata {Gmel.). Willet. Ad. in sum- mer.— Upper parts brownish gray, tlie head and neck streaked, and the back barred with black, and sometimes buffy, the centers of the feathers being oc- casionally wholly black ; basal half of the primaries and greater part of sec- ondaries white ; upper tail-coverts white witli a few blackish bars ; central tail-feathers ashy, indistinctly barred with blackish ; outer ones whitish, lightly SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 167 mottled with grayish ; foreneck heavily streaked; breast and sides heavily barred with dark brownish gray and more or less waslied with huffy; belly generally white, with sometimes a few bars. Winter plumage. — Upper parts brownish gray, unmarked ; tail without bars ; rump and wings as in the adult ; breast washed with grayish ; belly white ; axiUars black. L., 15-00; W.. 8-00 • Tar., 2-30; B., 2-15. Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from Florida to southern New Jersey, and locally and rarely to Maine. Washington, rare T. V., Aug. Long Island, T, V., rare in May ; uncom- mon in Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. Eggs, three to four, clay-color or buffy, thickly spotted with chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 2'10 x 1-55. Willets frequent both fresh- and salt-water marshes, shores, and beaches. If you visit their haunts during the nesting season, on flut- tering wings they will hover above your head or fly low over the marsh to draw you away from their home, uttering, with scarce a mo- ment's cessation, their loudly whistled call of pilly-wiU-willet, pilly- iviU-icillet. All day long, and even at night, I have heard them repeat these notes until, wearied by their persistence, one is thankful to leave them in undisturbed possession of the ground. 258a. S. s. inomata Brewst. Western Willet.— Slightly larger than the preceding, and, in summer plumage, the upper parts are paler and less heavily marked with black ; the breast is less heavily streaked and more suffused with buffy, and the middle tail-feathers are without black bars. In winter plumage the two forms can be distinguished only by the slight and inconstant character of size. W., 8-50 ; Tar., 2-50 ; B., 2-40. Range. — Western United States, breeding from Texas to Manitoba; win- ters on the Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. The EuFF (260. Pavoncella pugnax) is an Old-World species which occa- sionally wanders to eastern North America. It has been taken in Maine, Massachusetts, Ontario, Ohio, Long Island, and New Jersey. The adult male may be known by its enlarged ruff, which varies in color from black, chest- nut, and rufous to buffy and whitish. The female is without a ruff", and is otherwise very different from the male. The upper parts are grayish brown, the back, scapulars, and tertials are broadly barred with black, the outer tail-feathers are ashy, the inner ones are barred with buffy and black, the breast is ashy, with concealed black bars, the belly is white. In winter the upper parts are light grayish brown with few or no bars. $ L., 12-50; W., 7-50; Tar., 1-90; B., 1-50. 9 L., 10-00 ; W., 6-00; Tar., 1-40; B., 1-15. 261. Bartramia lon^cauda (BecJist). Bartramian Sandpiper ; Upland Plover; Field Plover. Ad. — Head and neck streaked with black and ochraceous-buff; back and wing-coverts ochraceous-buff', barred with black ; tertials olive, barred with black and margined with ochraceous-buff; primaries fuscous, the outer one barred with white ; inner tail-feathers brown- ish gray, outer ones varying from ochraceous-buff to white, all more or less 1(58 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. barred with black ; breast and sides washed with buffy and streaked or barred with black ; belly white or whitish. Im. — Similar, but the ochraceous-buflt" is deeper. L., 11-50 ; W., 6-50 ; Tar., 1-90 ; B., 1-15. Remarls.—TYiQ white bars on the outer primary will always serve to iden- tify this species. Hange. — Eastern North America; breeds locally from Kansas and Vir- ginia to Alaska and Nova Scotia ; winters over most of South America. Washington, common T. V., Apl. ; Aug. to Sept. Long Island, uncommon S. K., Apl. to Sept. Cambridge, not common T. V,, Apl. 25 to May 5 ; July 30 to Sept. 15. Eggs^ four to live, creamy buff" or white, spotted with reddish brown or chocolate, chiefly at the larger end, 1-80 x 1-30. The Upland " Plover " is at home on grassy plains and pastures. It is usually a shy bird, and can rarely be successfully approached on foot. It shows no fear, however, of a man who is riding or driving, and when on horseback I have passed within a few yards of birds which regarded me with some interest but no alarm. They so closely resemble dried grass in color that it is sometimes exceedingly diffi- cult to distinguish them from their surroundings. One may ride over a prairie upon which, at first glance, not a Plover is yisible, and find, after careful scrutiny, that dozens of birds are scattered about him feeding. In alighting they stretch their wings to the utmost, high over their backs, as if to get the wrinkles out before gently folding them. When flushed they utter a soft, bubbling whistle. During their migra- tions one may clearly hear these sweet notes from birds traveling be- yond the limits of human vision. Mr. Langille describes their alarm note as a spirited and rapidly uttered quip-ip-tp-ip, quip-ip-ip-ip, and their song, given from the ground, a fence, or even a tree, as chr-r-r-r-r- ee-e-e-e-e-e-oo-o-o-o-o-oo. He remarks : '• This prolonged, mournful, mel- low whistle, more like the whistling of wind than a bird's voice, may be heard even in the night, and is one of the most weird and never-to- be-forgotten sounds in Nature." 262. Tryngites subruficollis ( Vieill.). Buff-breasted Sand- piper. Ad. — Upper parts pale grayish brown, the feathers with olive cen- ters ; primaries fuscous, the inner half of their inner webs speckled with hlach ; longer inner wing-coverts conspicuously marked and tipped with black, then white ; central tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones becoming buffy, irregularly marked and tipped with black and buft'y ; under parts pale ochraceous-buff, tipped with whitish, and with generally concealed black markings. Im. — Similar, but the upper parts and breast paler. L., 8-50 ; W., 5-25 : B., -80. Bemarlcs. — In any plumage this bird may be known by the peculiar speck- ling on the inner webs of all the primaries, and also the markings of the under wing-coverts. Range. — " North America, especially in the interior; breeds in the Yukon SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 169 district and interior of British America; northward to the arctic coast; South America in winter; of frequent occurrence in Europe" (A. O. U,). Long Island, rare T. V., Aug. and Sept. Eggs^ three to four, buffy grayish white, varying to pale olive-buff, boldly spotted longitudinally (and somewhat spirally) with dark vandyke- or mad- der-brown and purplish gray, 1*53 x 1-04 (Ridgw.). This is a rare species on the Atlantic coast. Dr. Hatch writes of it as observed by him in Minnesota : " They are an extremely active species when on the wing, and essentially ploverine in all respects, seeking sandy, barren prairies, where they live upon grasshoppers, crickets, and insects generally, and ants and their eggs specially. I have found them repasting upon minute mollusks 'on the sandy shores of small and shallow ponds, where they were apparently little more suspicious than the Solitary Sandpipers are notably. The flight is in rather compact form, dipping and rising alternately, and with a dis- position to return again to the neighborhood of their former feeding places." 263. Actitis macularia. (Z^/i/2..). Spotted Sandpiper. Ad. in sum- mer.— Upper parts brownish gray Avith a faint greenish luster, the head and neck more or less streaked, and the back barred or spotted with black ; inner tail-feathers like the back, outer ones with blackish bars ; under parts white, everywhere spotted with black. Im. — Upper parts brownish gray, with a greenish tinge, the back faintly and wing-coverts conspicuously barred with black and bulf'y ; under parts pure w^hite, unspotted, but slightly washed with grayish on the breast. Winter plumage. — Similar, but back '^:-owner and without bars. L., 7*50 ; W., 4-20 ; Tar., -90 ; B., -95. Range. — North America north to Hudson Bay ; breeds throughout its range ; winters southward to Brazil. Washington, common T. V., not common S. R., Apl. 5 to Sept. 30. Long Island, abundant S. R., Apl. 25 to Oct. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 29 to Oct. 23. Cambridge, common S. R., Apl. 26 to Sept. Eggs., four, creamy buif or white, thickly spotted and speckled with choco- late, chiefly at the larger end, 1-25 x -95. Few Shore Birds are more generally known than this widely dis- tributed little Sandpiper. It frequents the margins of bodies of both fresh and salt water, but is more common inland on the shores of our rivers, ponds, and lakes. During the summer it is practically our only fresh-water Sandpiper, and is familiar to most of us under its common names. It runs rapidly along the beach, then pausing bobs, bows, and "teters" in a most energetic manner. When flushed it takes wing with a sharp weet-weet weet-weef, and after a few wing-strokes scales over the water to the beach beyond. It apparently dislikes to go be- yond certain limits, and after several flights makes a wide circle and returns to the starting point. 170 SNIPES, SANDPIPERS, ETC. 264. Numeniiis longirostris Wils. Long - billed Curlew • Sickle-bill. .It/.— Head uiul neck streuked, and back barred with butty and black; wing-coverts, inner webs of primaries, secondaries, and tail vary- ing from butty to pale rufous, barred or mottled with blackish ; under parts ochraceous-butt", breast more or less streaked and sides sometimes barred witli black; axillars rufous, generally unbarred. L., 24-00; W., 10-50 • Tar. 3-10; B., 6-00. Jiange.— United States, breeding in the interior as far north as Manitoba and on the Atlantic coast to North Carolina; casual northward to New Eng- land ; winters from Florida and Texas southward to the West Indies. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, casual from July to Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. E(/gs, three to four, olive clay-color or brownish ashy, spotted or blotched with chocolate, 2-58 x 1-85. " These birds, as a rule, inhabit the muddy shores and moist grassy- fiats and plains, but often frequent and breed upon the uplands re- mote from water. Their food consists of worms, crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, small snails, crabs, and crawfish ; the latter they reach for with their long bills and pull them out of their holes; and I have seen them probe for and unearth the larvae of the beetles and other forms of life that in the spring come to or near the surface prepara- tory to transformation. While feeding they move about with an easy carriage. " Their fiight is not rapid but well sustained, with regular strokes of the wings, and when going a distance usually high and in a trian- gular form, uttering now and then their loud, prolonged whistling note, so often heard during the breeding season ; before alighting, sud- denly drop nearly to the ground, then gather, and with a rising sweep gracefully alight " (Goss). 265. Numenius hudsonicus Lath. Hudsonian Curlew; Jack Curlew. Ad. — Upper parts grayish brown, the sides of the feathers with whitish spots; rump and tail barred with butty and blackish ; inner web of outer primaries and both webs of inner ones barred with butty or whitish and black ; under parts butty or whitish, the neck and breast streaked and the sides and under wing-coverts barred with black. L., IT'OO ; W., 9-50 ; Tar., 2-20; B., 3-75. Eange. — Breeds in the arctic regions and winters from the Gulf States to Patagonia. Long Island, T. V., rare from May 20 to 30 ; common from July to Oct. 1. Eggs^ three to four, pale olive, spotted with dull brown, 2*27 x 1-57 (Ridgw.). This is a much commoner bird on our coasts than the preceding, which it resembles in habits but not in notes. 266. Numenius borealis (Forst.). Eskimo Curlew; Fute; DouGH-BiKi). .!(/.— Upper parts black, margined and tipped with buffy or PLOVERS. 171 whitish ; upper tail-coverts barred with butfy and black ; tail brownish gray, edged with butty and barred with black; primaries fuscous without bars; under parts butty or whitish, the breast streaked, the sides and under wing- coverts barred with black L., 13-50 ; W., 8-40 ; Tar., 1-75 ; B., 2-40. Range. — Breeds in the arctic regions and migrates southward, chiefly through the interior, to Patagonia. Long Island, rare T. V,, Sept. Eggs., three to four, pale olive-greenish, olive, or olive-brownish, dis- tinctly spotted, chiefly on the larger end, with deep or dark brown, 2-04 x 1-43 (Ridgw.). This Curlew is far more common in the interior than on the At- lantic coast. It is more of a field bird than either of the two pre- ceding species, and frequents the dry uplands to feed on seeds and insects. Mr. G. H. Mackay, in his biography of this species,* writes; "Most of their habits closely resemble those of the Golden Plover. In migration they fly in much the same manner, with extended and broadside and triangular lines and clusters similar to those of Ducks and Geese at such times. They usually fly low after landing, sweeping slowly over the ground, apparently looking it over, generally standing motionless for quite a while after alighting, which, owing to their general color approximating so closely to the withered grass, renders it difficult at times to perceive them. . . . The only note I ever heard them make is a kind of squeak, very much like one of the cries of Wilson's Tern {Sterna hirundo), only finer in tone." The Whimbrel {267. Nwmenius phoeopus)., an Old-World species, is of accidental occurrence in Greenland. Family Charadriid^. Plovers. The one hundred species contained in this family are, as a w^hole, of less boreal distribution than the Snipes, and during the nesting season are distributed throughout the world. Only eight species are found in North America. Their habits in a general way resemble those of the true Snipes, but their much shorter, stouter bills are not fitted for probing, and they obtain their food from the surface. Probably for this reason several species are as frequently found on the uplands as near the shores. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Toes three. A. Back spotted or streaked with black and white, rufous, or golden yellow. 272. Am. Golden Plover. B. Back ashy, gray, brown, or brownish gray. a. Rump rufous 273. Killdeer. b. Rump not rufous. * The Auk, vol. ix, 1892, pp. 16-21. 172 PLOVERS. bK Bill over -50. b^. A black or brownish band on the breast . 280. Wilson's Plover. b^. No band on the breast ; back grayish brown, margined with rufous. 281. Mountain Plover. cK Bill under -50. c^. A black line from the eye to the bill. 274. Semipalmated Plover. c^. No line from the eye to the bill. 277. Piping Plover. 277a. Beltelt Piping Plover. II. Toes four 270. Black-bellieu Plover. The Lapwing {269. Vanellus vanellus) is an Old- World species of acci- dental occurrence in America. The only record for eastern North America south of Greenland is based on a specimen shot at Merrick, L. I., in Decem- ber, 1883 (Dutcher, Auk, iii, 1886, p. 438j. 270. Charadrius squatarola {Linn.). Black-bellied Plover; Beetle-head. (See Fig. 25, c, 26, d.) Ad. in summer. — Upper parts black, bordered with white ; tail white, barred with black ; basal half of the inner web of the primaries white ; sides of the head and neck and entire under parts, except the white lower belly and under tail-coverts, black. Im. — Upper parts black, the head and neck streaked, the back spotted with bufty yellow ; tail and wings as in the adult ; under parts white, the breast and sides streaked with brownish gray. Winter plumage. — Similar to the preceding, but upper parts brownish gray, lightly margined with whitish. L., 11-00; W., 7*50; Tar., 1-90 ; B., 1-10. Remarks. — The rounded scales on the front of the tarsus and the presence of a fourth, although very small, toe distinguish this bird. Range. — Nearly cosm.opolitan ; breeds in the arctic regions, and in Amer- ica winters from Florida to Brazil. Long Island, common T. V., May 5 to June 5 ; Aug. 1 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, a'. V. Eggs., three to four, light buffy olive, spotted and speckled with dark brown and brownish black or deep black, 2-04 x 1-43 (Kidgw.). The following: notes are abridged from Mr. Mackay's extended ac- count of the habits of this species (Auk, ix. 1892, pp. 143-152). They are in a great degree tide birds, and seek a large part of their food on sand-flats left by the receding vt^ater. As the tide rises they resort to adjoining marshes or uplands, beaches, or the exposed crests of sand- bars. In migrating they fly in lines and also in ranks, like Ducks and Geese. When on the ground they usually run very fast for four or five yards, then stop, elevate the head, and look around. They strike at the object they are going to pick up and eat with a very quick motion. They have two calls : one of several notes, with the accent on the sec- ond one, is mellow, clear, and far reaching ; the other is low, and is uttered when they are at ease and contented. PLOVERS. 173 272. Charadrius dominiciis Mull. American Golden Plover; Greenback. Ad. in nannntr. — Upper parts black, spotted and margined with golden yellow ; tail brownish gray, indistinctly barred with whitish ; sides of the breast white ; rest of the under parts, including sides of the head, black ; under wing-coverts ashy. Winter plumage. — Upper parts and tail fuscous, spotted or ban-ed with whitish or yellow ; under parts whitish, more or les.s streaked or barred with brownish gray. L., 10-50; W., 7"00 ; Tar., 1-60 ; B., -90. Remarks. — Immature birds are sometimes confused with those of the Black- bellied Plover, but, aside from differences of size and color, the absence of the fourth toe in the present species will always distinguish it. Range. — Breeds in the arctic regions ; winters from Florida to Patagonia. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, T. V., very rare in May ; common from Aug. 15 to Kov. 10. Eggs., three to four, ochraceous-buff or buffy" white, heavily marked with chocolate, 1-85 x 1*28. Golden Plovers frequent marshes, sandy hills, old fields, sand-flats exposed by the falling tide, plowed fields, and burned tracts which are free of trees and bushes. When on the ground they run rapidly and gracefully, and after alighting soon scatter. All their movements are quick, and after running a few yards they suddenly stop, hold their head erect, and look about them. In feeding they seem to strike at an object with a motion that reminds one of a Loon or Grebe begin- ning to dive. When a flock is approaching decoys, every bird seems to be whis- tling, uttering a note like coodle, coodle, coodle. Unlike the Black- bellied Plover, the young birds are wary and more difficult to decoy than the old ones. When driven from a favorite restmg or feeding ground they generally return in a short time. (Abridged from Mr. George H. Mackay's account of the habits of this species in The Auk, viii, 1891, pp. 17-24.) The European Golden Plover (271. Charadrius apricarius) occurs in eastern Greenland. It resembles our species, but has the under wing-coverts white instead of gray. 273. .iE^ialitis vocifera (Linn.). Killdeer. ^c?.— Forehead, a spot behind the eye, throat, and a ring around the neck, a band on the breast, lower breast, and belly white ; front of the crown, lores, a ring around the neck, and a band on the breast black ; crown and back grayish brown tipped with rufous; rump and upper tail-coverts rufous; inner tail-feathei"s grayish brown, outer ones becoming rufous and wliite, all tipped with black and white. L., 10-50 ; W., 6-50 ; Tar., 1-35 ; B., -75. Range.— ^OTt\i America north to Newfoundland and Manitoba, breeding throughout its range ; winters from the lower Mississippi Valley and Vir- ginia to northern South America. 174 PLOVERS. Wa-shiugton, P. R., most abundant in migrations. Long Island, not com mon T. v., recorded in every month but Jan. Sing Sing, rare T. V. in fall Sept. 28 to Oct. 25. Cambridge, A. V., two instances, Sept. Eggs^ three to four, butty white, spotted and scrawled with chocolate chiefly at the larger end, 1-50 x 1-10. In localities where this bird is common it is difficult to get beyond the reach of its notes. Lakesides, meadows, pastures, and cultivated fields all attract it, but it is more numerous in the vicinity of water. It is a noisy, restless bird, running rapidly when on the ground, and when on the wing flying swiftly and sometimes pursuing a most irregular course. As a rule it is found in flocks, which scatter when feeding but unite when taking wing. At the first sign of danger it utters its half-plaintive, half-petulant Mil-dee, kill-dee, and when thor- oughly alarmed its outcry increases until, beside itself with fear, it reaches the limit of its vocal powers. Although by no means shy, the Killdeer never seems to gain confidence in man, and at his approach always gives voice to its fear. Even at night I have heard it cry out at some real or fancied danger. 274. .£gialitis semipalmata^o^ff/). Semipalmated Plover ; Eing- NECK. (See Fig. 25, d, 26, e.) Ad. in summer. — Feathers at the base of the upper mandible, front of the crown, sides of the head be- low the eye, and a band on the breast, which gener- ally encircles the neck all around, black ; rest of under parts and a ring around the neck white ; back of head and back brownish gray ; inner tail-feathers brownish gray, outer ones . becoming gradually white ; toes webbed at the base. Winter plum- age.— Similar, but the black replaced by brownish gray. L., 6-75 ; W., 4-80 ; Tar., -90 ; B., -50. Range. — Breeds from Lab- rador to the shores of tlve Arctic Sea; winters from the Gulf States to Brazil. Washington, casual, three specimens. May ; Aug. Long Island, common T. v., >Iay ; Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, common T. Y.'in fall ; Aug. 23 to Sept. 20. Cambridge, rare in spring; sometimes common in Aug. and Sept. Eggs, three to four, butt"y white or creamy l)ufi", spotted with chocolate, V30 X -90. Fig Semipalmated Plover. (Natural size.) PLOVERS. 175 This species frequents sandy beaches, mud-flats, and marshes. It is found generally in small flocks of five or ten individuals, which, unlike the Sand Oxeyes, do not feed in a compact body, but run rap- idly about, independently of one another. When they take wing, however, they close ranks at once and move as though governed by one desire. Their simple, sweet, plaintive call is one of the most characteristic notes heard on our shores. At noonday, when the heat waves are dancing over the marshes and even the twittering Oxeyes are silent, one may hear the cool, pure notes of this little Plover. They may be written P/^ — Z^r^ — • ^ third, shorter note is sometimes added. Even a whistled imitation of them takes me to the beaches. The EiXG Plover (275. JEgialitis hiatlculu)^ an Old- World species, is found in Greenland. It is similar to the preceding but slightly larger, the black band on the breast is wider, and there is no web between the inner and middle toes. 277. .£gialitis meloda {Ord). Piping Plover. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts pale whitish ashy ; forehead, under parts, and a x\n^ around the neck white ; front of the crown and a band on either side of the breast black ; inner tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones becoming white. Winter plum- a^e.— Similar, but. the black replaced by brownish gray. L., 7*00; W., 4-75 ; Tar., -85 ; B., -50. Range. — Eastern North America, breeding from Virginia to Newfound- land ; winters from Florida southward. Long Island, not uncommon S. R., Mch. through Sept. Sing Sing, A. V. Eggs., three to four, creamy white, finely spotted or speckled with choco- late, 1-24 X -95. The Piping Plover resembles the Ring-neck in habits but not in notes. jNIr. J. H. Langille writes that it *• can not be called a ' whistler,' nor even a ' piper,' in an ordinary sense. Its tone has a particularly striking and musical quality. Queep, queep, queep-o, or peep, peep, peep-Io, each syllable being uttered with a separate, distinct, and some- what long-drawn enunciation, may imitate its peculiar melody, the tone of which is round, full, and sweet, reminding one of a high key on an Italian hand organ or the hauthoy in a church organ. It is always pleasing to the lover of Nature's melodies, and in the still air of the evening it is very impressive." 277a. .32. m. circiuncincta Eldgw. Belted Piping Plover. — Closely resembles the preceding, from which it differs in having the bands m either side of the breast joined, formi)ig a continuous breastband. Range. — Breeds from "northern Illinois and Nebraska northward to Lake 176 PLOVERS. Winnepeg," and eastward to the Magdalen and Sable Islands ; winters from the Gulf southward. Casual on the Atlantic coast during the migrations. Long Island, A. V. in summer. 280. ^^alitis wilsonia {Ord). Wilson's Plover. Ad. ^ .— Lores, front of crown, and a band on the breast black ; rest of under parts, forehead, and an indistinct ring on the nape white ; sides of the head and nape sometimes with rufous markings; cheeks, crown, and back brownish gray ; inner tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones becoming white. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but black replaced by brownish gray. Im. — Similar to 9 , but upper parts margined with grayish. L., 7*50 ; W., 4-50 ; Tar., 1-10; B., -80. Range. — America, breeding from Virginia to Central America ; win- ters southward to Brazil; casual northward to Nova Scotia. Long Island, A. V., in sum- mer. Eggs, three, creamy white, even- ly and rather finely spotted and speckled with chocolate, 1.42 x 1-03. This is a more strictly maritime species than the other representa- tives of this ^enus. Sandy beaches are its favorite resorts, but it is also found on mud-flats exposed by the falling tide. Dr. Coues de- scribes its note as half a whistle, half a chirp, quite different from that of the preceding species. It is a gentle, unsuspicious bird, and when its nest is approached it runs about the intruder and begs as plainly as a bird can that he will not disturb its treasures. Fig. 66.— Wilson's Plover. (Natural size.) The Mountain Plover {281. ^gialitis montana)^ a western species, is of accidental occurrence in Florida. The upper parts are grayish brown margined with rufous, the under parts are white tinged with buffy on the breast; in adults the front of the crown and lores are black. L., about 8-75; W., 5-75; Tar., 1-50 ; B., -85. Family Aphrizid^. Surf Birds and Turnstones. A small family of four species, three of which are found in North America, though but one of these visits our Eastern States. They are strictly maritime birds, frequenting only the seacoasts, where they prefer the outer beaches. TURNSTONES, OYSTER-CATCHERS. 177 883. Arenaria interpres {Linn.). Turnstone; Brant Bird; Calico-back. Ad. in summer. — Upper parts, including wings, strikingly variegated with rufous, black, and white ; tail white at the base, a black band near its end, and tipped with white ; throat and breast black and white ; belly- white. Winter plumage. — Upper parts blackish, bordered with brownish gray or ashy ; lower back white ; longer upper tail-coverts white, shorter ones black; tail as in the adult; throat white, breast black margined with white, belly white. L., 9-50 ; W., 6-00 ; Tar., -95 ; B., 1-00. Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan ; breeds in the arctic regions, and in Amer- ica migrates southward to Patagonia. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. Long Island, common T. V. May ; Aug. and Sept. Sing Sing, A. Y. Eggs., three to four, clay-color, blotched and scrawled with grayish brown, 1-60 X 1-15. This strictly maritime species is found singly or in small flocks, generally on the outer beaches, where it obtains its food by turning over shells and pebbles in search of insects, crustaceans, etc. Family H^matopodid^. Oyster-catchers. The Oyster-catchers number ten species, represented in most of the warmer parts of the globe. But three species are found in North America, and only one of these occurs in the Eastern States. They are strictly maritime birds, and resort to the outer bars and beaches in search of clams, mussels, etc., exposed by the tide. Their strong bill is used as an oyster-knife to force open the shells of these bivalves. 286. Hsematopus palliatus Temm. American Oyster-catcher. ^(Z.— Head, neck, mid upper breast glossy black, back and wing-coverts olive- brown, secondaries white, primaries fuscous, upper tail-coverts white, base of the tail white, end fuscous, lower breast and belly white, /m.— Similar, but head and neck blackish and upper parts more or less margined with buffy. L., 19-00 ; W., 10-50 ; Tar., 2-40 ; B., 3-40. Range. — Seacoasts of temperate and tropical America, from New Jersey and Lower California to Patagonia; occasional or accidental on the Atlantic coast north to Massachusetts and Grand Menan. Long Island. A. Y. Eggs., three to four, buffy white or creamy buff, rather evenly spotted and blotched with chocolate, 2-20 x 1-55. A not uncommon species from southern New Jersey southward ; confined exclusively to the coast. It agrees in habits with other mem- bers of this small family. The European Oyster-catcher {285. H(zmatopus ostralegus) is of acci- dental occurrence in Greenland. 178 GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, ETC. OBDEB GALLING. GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. Family Tetraonid^. Grouse, Bob-whites, etc. Of the two hundred species contained in this family, one hundred belong in the subfamily Pej^dicinm or Old- World Partridges and Quails, sixty in the subfamily Odontophorince or New- World Par- tridges and Bob-whites, and twenty-five in the subfamily TetraonincB or Grouse, inhabiting the northern parts of the northern hemisphere. Generally speaking, these birds are non-migratory, though there are some striking exceptions among the Perdicince. After the nesting season they commonly gather in " coveys " or bevies, usually composed of the members of but one family. In some species these bevies unite or " pack," forming large flocks. As a rule, they are terrestrial, but may take to trees when flushed, while some species habitually call and feed in trees. They are game birds par excellence, and, trusting to the concealment afforded by their dull colors, attempt to avoid detec- tion by hiding rather than by flying, or, in sportsman's phraseology, " lie well to a dog." Their flight is rapid and accompanied by a start- ling whirr, caused by the quick strokes of their small, concave, stiff- feathered wings. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Tarsi bare 289. Bob-white. 289a. Florida Bob-white. B. Upper third or half of tarsi feathered. 300. KuFFED Grouse. 300a. Canada Euffed Grouse. C. Tarsi entirely feathered, toes bare. a. With bunches of elongated, stiffened feathers springinsr from either side of the neck 305. Prairie Hen. 306. Heath Hen. h. Feathers of neck normal. Ji. Outer web of primaries spotted with white. 308ft. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. ft2. Primaries not spotted with white 298. Canada Grouse. D. Tarsi and toes entirely feathered 301. Ptarmigan and races. 289. Colinus virginianus {Linn.). Bob-white ; Quail ; Partridge. Ad. $ in winter.— \3^^Qr parts varying from reddish brown to chestnut; in- terscapulars with broken and sometimes complete black bars; inner vane of tcrtials widely margined with cream-buff'; rump grayish brown, finely mottled, and with a few streaks of blackish ; tail ashy gray, the inner feath- ers finely mottled with buff"y ; front of the crown, a band from the bill to be- neath the eye, and a band on the upper breast black ; throat and a broad line from the bill over the eye white; sides rufous-chestnut, margined with black and white; lower breast and belly white barred with black. Ad. 9 in win- ter.— Similar, but the throat and line over the eye, forehead, and lores pale ochraceous-buff"; little or no black on the upper breast. Summer examples GROUSE, BOR- WHITES, ETC. i^g of both sexes have the crown blacker, the buft'y markings generally paler L., 10-00 ; W., 4-50 ; T., 2-50 ; B. from N., -35. Jijfiffe.— Eastern North America, from southern Maine and Minnesota southward to the Gulf of Mexico; resident wherever found. Washington, common P. K. Sing Sing, common P. R. Cambridcre, com- mon P. E. M^t, on the ground, in grassy fields. Fggs,- ten to eighteen, white, 1-20 X -95. Taking the Old- World species of the genera Coturnix and Caccahis as the types respectively of Quails and Partridges, neither of these lat- ter names can properly be applied to our Colinus, which should there- fore be known under the distinctive title Bob-white. During the nesting season Bob-whites are distributed in pairs through clearings and cultivated fields. The members of a brood constitute a bevy or covey, though occasionally two families or broods are found in one bevy. In the fall they frequent grain fields, but as winter approaches draw in toward thickets and wooded bottom-lands, sometimes passing the coldest weather in boggy alder swamps. They roost on the ground, tail to tail, with heads pointing outward : a bunch of closely huddled forms— a living bomb whose explosion is scarcely less startling than that of dynamite manufacture. Like most grass-inhabiting birds whose colors harmonize with their surroundings. Bob-whites rely on this protective resemblance to escape detection, and take wing only as a last resort. Sometimes they take refuge in trees, but usually they head for wooded cover, where they remain if the growth is dense, but if it is open they generally run the moment they touch the ground. About May 1 they begin to pair, and rival males may then be seen battling for mates like diminutive gamecocks. The name " Bob- white " originated in the spring call of the male. Mounting a fence or ascending to the lower branches of a tree, he whistles the two cl^^ar musical, ringing notes Bob-white ! Sometimes they are preceded by a lower one which can be heard only when one is near the singer. After the breeding season, when the birds are in bevies, their notes are changed to what sportsmen term " scatter calls." Not long after a bevy has been flushed and perhaps widely scattered, the members of the disunited family may be heard signaling to one another in sweet minor calls of two and three notes. When excited they also utter low, twittering notes. 289a. C. V. floridanus {Cones). Florida Bob-white; Quail ; Par- tridge.—Similar to tlie preceding, but smaller, the plumage throughout darker, the black of the back more extensive, the rump and upper tail-coverts grayer, 7 180 GROUSE, BOB-WIllTES, ETC. the black tliroat-band wider and sometimes reaching down upon the breast, the rufous-chestnut of the sides more extensive, the black bars of the breast and belly much wider. L., 8-50 ; W., 4-40 ; T., 2-50. Range. — Florida, except the northern border of the State. A common bird throughout the pine-grown portions of the Florida peninsula. It is especially numerous on old plantations, where it fre- quents patches of "cow peas." It resembles the northern Bob- white in habits, but is, I think, more inclined to take to the trees wdien flushed. I have seen a whole covey fly up into the lofty pine trees, where, squatting close to the limbs, they became almost invisible. They begin to pair early in March. The European or Migratory Quail {Coturnix coturnix) has been intro- duced into this country on several occasions, but does not appear to have sur- vived. 298. Dendragapus canadensis (Linn.). Canada Grouse ; Spruce Partridge, uid. . B. u. togSitSL (Linn.). Canadian Ruffed Grouse; Par- tridge.— To be distinguished from the preceding by the prevailing color of the upper parts, which are gray instead of rufous, and the more distinctly barred under parts, the bars on the breast and belly being nearly as well de- fined as those on the side ; the tail is generally gray. Range. — Nova Scotia, northern half of Maine, northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and New York northward and westward to Hudson Bay and Oregon. 301* liOrgopus la^gopus {Linn.). Willow Ptarmigan. Ad. $ in summer. — Prevailing color above rufous.^ or black thickly barred or mottled with, rufous and butfy or whitish; tail fuscous, tipped with white; middle tail-coverts like the back; throat, breast, and sides like the head and neck; belly white. Ad. 9 in summer. — Similar to the male, but the bars both above and below broader and more numerous. Winter plumage. — Tail-feathers fus- cous as in sununer, rest of the plumage white. L , 15-00 ; W., 7'50 ; T., 4-40 ; E. from N., -42 ; depth of B. at N., -44. Uemarks.— Both this species and its subspecies alleni may be distinguished from our other Ptarmigans by their more rufous color and larger bills. Range. — " Northern portions of the northern hemisphere, south in winter; in America to Sitka, Alaska, the British Provinces, and occasionally within the northern border of the United States" (Bendire). Nesty on the ground. Eggs^ seven to eleven, varying from cream-bulf to rufous, heavily spotted and blotched with blackish, 1-75 x 1-20. This abundant and characteristic arctic bird does not nest south of central Labrador, but migrates southward in winter to the St. Law- rence, and has once been taken in northern New York and once in New Brunswick. An extended account of its habits will be found in Nelson's Keport on Natural History Collections made in Alaska, p. 131. It is quoted by Captain Bendire in his Life Histories of American Birds (p. 70), where will be found practically all we know concerning the habits of this and the following members of this genus. 301a. Li. 1. alleni Stejn. Allen's Ptarmigan. — Diifers from the pre- ceding in having the *■' shafts of secondaries black, and quills (sometimes a few of the wing-coverts also) more or less blotched or mottled with dusky. Summer plumages and young unknown" (Ridgw.). Range. — Newfoundland. " It frequents rocky barrens, feeding on seeds and berries of the stunted plants that thrive in these exposed situations" (Merriam, Orn. and Ool., viii, 1883, p. 43). 302. Lagopus rupestris ( GmeL). Rook Ptarmigan ; Rocker. Ad. 6 in summer. — General color above grayish, the feathers black basally ; head GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, ETC. 183 and neck barred, and back marked with numerous line wavy lines of gray and white or butiy ; central tail-feathers like the back, outer ones fuscous, generally tipped with white ; breast and sides like the head and neck ; belly white. Ad. 9 in summer. — Above black, barred with oehraceous-buif and marcrined Avith grayish ; middle tail-feathers the same, outer ones as in the male ; middle of the belly white, rest of the under parts like the back, but with more ochraceous-butf. Winter plumage. — Lores black, outer tail-feathers as in summer, rest of the plumage white. W., 7-25 ; B. from N., -35 ; depth ofB. at N., -32. Eange. — "Arctic America in general, southeastward to the Gulf of St. Lawrence (Anticosti), except the northern extremity of the peninsula of Labrador, and region thence northward, Greenland and Aleutian Islands " (Bendire). Kest, usually placed among the dwarf brush or sedge-covered patches of the tundras. £ggs, six to ten, pale cream or yellowish butf, sometimes with a vinaceous-rufous suffusion, spotted and blotched with clove-brown or dark claret-red, 1-G5 x 1-18 (Bendire). " In its general manners and mode of living it is said to resemble alhus [= L. lagopus], but does not retire so far into the wooded coun- try in the winter " (B., B., and R.). 302a. li. r. reinhardti (^r£7^??^). Greenland Ptarmigan. '■'• Sum- mer vialt. — Similar t in summer. — Upper parts black, the head and neck barred with white and cchra- ceous-buff, the back and wing-coverts finely and irregularly marked with wavy lines of buffy and white; tail grayish fuscous, the middle feathers tipped with white ; throat white, foreneck like the hind neck, breast and sides like the back; rest of the under parts white. 9 .—Upper parts black, finely and irregularly ban-ed with ochraceous-buff, grayish, and white ; cen- tral tail-feathers like the back, others fuscous ; foreneck, breast, and sides like the hind neck ; belly Avhite. Winter plumage. — White, tail fuscous, the central feathers tipped with white; lores Hack. W., 7'25 ; B. from N., -35: depth of B. at N., -32. Remarl's. — This species Avith L. rnpestris is to be distinguished from Lagopvs lagopus by the ochraceous-buff instead of rufous markings, the fine 184 GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, ETC. grayish wavy bars on the upper parts, and the smaller bill. For a comparison of welchi with rujyestrls see Auk, ii, 1885, p. 193. i^aw^e.— Newfoundland. Nest and eggs unknown. " According to Mr. Welch, these Ptarmigan are numerous in New- foundland, where they are strictly confined to the bleak sides and sum- mits of rocky hills and mountains of the interior" (Brewster, I. c). 305. Tympanuchus americanus {Reich.). Prairie Hen. Ad. $ . — Upper parts barred with rufous and black and spotted with rufous ; sides of the neck with tufts generally composed of ten, or more narrow, stiffened black feathers marked with buft'y and rufous, their ends roimded., the skin beneath these tufts bare ; tail rounded., fuscous, the inner feathers somewhat mottled with ochraceous-butf, tip white ; throat butfy ; breast and belly white, evenly barred with black. Ad. 9 .— Similar, but the neck tufts much smaller and the tail barred with ochraceous-butf or rufous. L., 18-00 ; W., y-OO ; T., 4-00 ; B. from N., -52. Range. — Prairies of Mississippi Valley, south to Louisiana, west to north- ern Indian Territory, middle Kansas, Nebraska, and eastern North and South Dakota; east to Kentucky, Indiana, northwestern Ohio, southwestern Michi- gan, and southwestern Ontai'io ; north to soutliern Manitoba (Bendire). Xest^ on the ground. Eggs., eleven to fourteen, butfy olive, sometimes finely speckled with brownish, 1-70 x 1-25. "This familiar game bird inhabits our fertile prairies, seldom fre- quenting the timbered lands except during sleety storms or when the ground is covered with snow. Its flesh is dark, and it is not very highly esteemed as a table bird. " During the early breeding season they feed largely upon grass- hoppers, crickets, and other forms of insect life, but afterward chiefly upon our cultivated grains, gleaned from the stubble in autumn and the cornfields in winter : they are also fond of tender buds, berries, and fruits. They run about much like our domestic fowls,- but with a more stately carriage. When flushed they rise from the ground with a less whirring sound than the Ruffed Grouse or Bob-white, and their flight is not as swift, but more protracted and with less apparent effort, flap- ping and sailing along, often to the distance of a mile or more. In the fall the birds collect together and remain in flocks until the warmth of spring quickens their blood and awakes the passions of love ; then, as with a view to fairness and the survival of the fittest, they select a smooth open courtship ground (usually called a 'scratching ground'), where the males assemble at the early dawn to vie with each other in courage and pompous display, uttering at the same time their love call, a loud booming noise: as soon as this is heard by the hen birds desirous of mating they quietly put in an appearance, squat upon the GROUSE, BOB-WHITES, ETC. 185 ground, apparently indifferent observers, until claimed by victorious rivals, which they gladly accept, and receive their caresses" (Goss). 306. Tympanuchus cupido {Linn.). Heath Hen.— Similar to the preceding, but the t^eapuhirs broadly tipped with butfy ; the neck tufts of less than ten feathers ; these feathers jiointed, not rounded^ at the ends. ^a«<7e.— Island of Martha's Vineyard, Mass. Kest., " in oak woods, among sprouts at the base of a large stump " (Brew- ster). Eggs., six to thirteen, " creamy buff in color, with a slight greenish tinge," 1-73 x 1-29. In the early part of this century the Heath Hen was found locally throughout the Middle States, where, unlike its western representative, the Prairie Hen, it lived in wooded districts. It is now restricted to the island of Martha's Vineyard, an excellent illustration of the pro- tection afforded by an insular habitat. Mr. William Brewster, writing in 1890 (Forest and Stream, p. 188; see also p. 207), estimated that there were from one hundred and twenty to two hundred Heath Hens then on the island, but he has recently informed me that since then, owing to insufficient protection, they have been nearly exterminated. 308b. Pediocaetes phasianellus campestris Ridgw. Prairie Sharp-tailed Grouse. Ad. <5 . — Frevailing color of the upper parts ochra- ceous-butf, barred and irregularly marked with black; no neck tufts ; outer web of the primaries spotted with Avhite; middle tail-feathers projecting about an inch beyond the others, ochraceous-buff and black; throat huffy; breast with V-shapcd marks of black ; sides irregularly barred or spotted with black or huffy; middle of the belly white. Ad. 9. — Similar, but smaller; the middle tail-feathers shorter. L., 17-50 ; W., 8-50 ; T.. 4-50 ; B. from N., -50. Range. — Western United States from New Mexico northward to Manitoba^ east to Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Nest., on the ground. Eggs., eleven to fourteen, creamy buff or pale olive- brown, generally slightly spotted with fine, reddish brown markings, 1-65 x 1-22 (Bendire). This partially migratory species lives on the prairies during the summer and in wooded regions in the winter. A capital account of its habits is given by Ernest E. Thompson in his Birds of Manitoba. Family Phasianid^. Pheasants, etc. With the exception of the Yucatan Turkey and the four races of our Wild Turkey, the some ninety species included in this family are inhabitants of the Old World, and are most numerously represented in southern Asia, where are found the Peacock, many of the Pheasants, and the Jungle Fowl, from which the varieties of our domesticated fowls have descended. 186 WILD TURKEYS. \ 310. Meleagris gallopavo Linn. Wild Turkey. — The Wild Turkey may ha distinguished from the common domestic race chiefly by the chestnut instead of white tips to the upper tail-coverts and taih " 6 ad. I.., about 48-00-50 ; W., 21-00; T., 18-50; Weight 16-40 lbs." (Kidgw.). Range. — Eastern United States from Pennsylvania southward, to Florida, west to Wisconsin, the Indian Territory, and Texas. Washington, rare P. R. Ned., on tlie ground, at the base of a bush or tree. Eggs., ten to fourteen, pale cream-buft, finely and evenly speckled with grayish brown, 2-45 x 1-95. This noble game bird is rapidly decreasing in numbers, and in comparatively few^ years will doubtless be found only in the parts of its range which are unfit for the habitation of man. Except during the breeding season, Wild Turkeys are found in small flocks of six to twelve or fifteen individuals of both sexes. They roost preferably in the trees in wooded bottom-lands, returning each night to the same locality. At the opening of the breeding season in March the male begins to gobble. As a rule, he calls only early in the morning, before leaving his roost. Later he sails to the ground and at once begins his search for breakfast, or, attracted by the plaintive piping of some female, he struts and displays his charms before her. It is at this time that bat- tles between the males occur. They are polygamists, and the victor becomes sultan of the harem. During the period of incubation, and while the young require their mother's care, the females do not associ- ate with the males, who then flock together. The calls of both sexes so closely resemble those of the domestic birds that it requires a practiced ear to distinguish them. In locali- ties where both birds might be expected to occur, I could never be sure whether I was listening to the challenge of some defiant gobbler perched in a cypress in the valley below, or to the vainglorious effort of the lord of the poultry yard. The Wild Turkey is divided by ornithologists into four closely re- lated races. Meleagris gaUopavo is the bird of the Eastern States; M. g. osceola, as stated below, is found in southern Florida; 31. g. eUioti inhabits southeastern Texas and northeastern Mexico ; 31. g. m-exicana ranges from western Texas to Arizona, and south over the table lands of Mexico to Vera Cruz. It is this race, with white-tipped upper tail -coverts, which was first introduced into Europe, where it had become established as early as 1530. 310b. M. g. osceola Scott. Florida Wild Turkky. — Resembles M. gallopavo., but is smaller, and the primaries, instead of being regularly and widely barred with white, as in that bird, have much smaller, broken white markings. Weight, $ 12-22 lbs.; ? 4-75-9 lbs. (Scott, Auk, ix, 18^2, p. 115) Bangs. — Southern Florida. PIGEONS AND DOVES. 187 ( ORDER COLUMB^. PIGEONS AND DOVES. Family Columbid^. Pigeons and Doves. About one third of the three hundred known species of Pigeons and Doves are found in the New World, but of this number only twelve species occur in North America. The birds of this family differ widely in their choice of haunts. Some are strictly arboreal, others as strictly terrestrial. Some seek the forests and others prefer fields and clear- ings. Some nest in colonies, others in isolated pairs, but most species are found in flocks of greater or less size after the breeding season. When drinking, they do not raise the head as other birds do to swal- low, but keep the bill immersed until the draught is finished. The young are born naked and are fed by regurgitation. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Tail widely tipped with white or grayish white. a. Tail pointed. ai. Back or rump bluish slate-color 315. Passenger Pigeon. a^. Back olive grayish brown 316. Mouuning Dove. b. Tail square 317. Zenaida Dove. £. Tail not tipped with white. a. Upper parts dark slate-color 314. White-crowned Pigeon. b. Upper parts rufous with purplish reflections. b^. Line below the eye and belly white or whitish . 322. Quail Dove. b^. Line under the eye and belly butty ochraceous. 322.1. EuDDY Quail Dove. c. Upper parts grayish olive-brown. c^. Crown blue, a white line below the eye. 323. Blue-headed Quail Dove. c^. Crown pinkish or like the back ...'... 320. Ground Dove. 314. Columba leucocephala Linn. White-crowned Pigeon. Ad. i .— Eich slate-color; crown white ; back of the head purplish chestnut; back of the neck with greenish reflections, each feather with a black border. Ad. 9. — Similar, but paler; crown ashy, less purplish chestnut: back and sides of the neck brownish ash with metallic reflections and black margins. L., 13-50; W., 7-50; T., 5-10; B., '70. , ' Bange.—Y\or\dsL Keys, West Indies, and coast of Central America. Nest, in low bushes. Eggs, two, glossy white, 1*41 x 1-02. This Pigeon is locally common in some of the keys off southern Florida, and has been known to occur on the mainland. According to Mr. J, W. Atkins (Auk, vi, 1889, p. 246), it arrives at Key West early in May and remains until November. 315. Ectopistes migratoritis {Linn.). Passenger Pigeon. (See Fig. 2S.) Ad. <3 . — Upper parts rich bluish slate-color; back and sides of the 188 PIGEONS AND DOVES. neck with metallic reflections ; middle of the back and scapulars more or less washed with olive-brown; middle tail-feathers fuscous, outer ones black at the base, then slaty blue, fading into a broad, white tip ; under parts deep, rich vinaceous ; lower belly white ; throat bluish slate-color. Ad. 9 . — Simi- lar, but upper parts with less iridescence and more olive-brown ; breast pale grayish brown; belly whitish. Im. — Generally similar to the 9 , but the feathers of the upper parts and breast tipped with whitish, the primaries edged and tipped with rufous. L., 16-29 ; W., 7-82; T., 7-53 ; B., 7-10. Ranqe. — Eastern North America, northward in the interior to Hudson Bay, breeding locally throughout the more northern part of its range. Washington, rare and irregular T. V. or W, V. Sing Sing, formerly rare S. R. and common T. V., Apl. 15 to May 17 ; Aug. 21 to Oct. 11 ; last seen Oct. 11, 1888. Cambridge, rare and irregular T. V. Nest.^ a platform of sticks, in a tree. Eggs.^ one to two, white, 1*45 x 1-09. Wilson, writing about 1808, estimated that a flock of Wild Pigeons observed by him near Frankfort, Kentucky, contained at least 2,230,- 272,000 individuals. Captain Bendire, writing in 1892, says : "... It looks now as if their total extermination might be accomplished within the present century. The only thing which retards their complete ex- tinction is that it no longer pays to net these birds, they being too scarce for this now, at least in the more settled portions of the coun- try, and also, perhaps, that from constant and unremitting persecution on their breeding grounds they have changed their habits somewhat, the majority no longer breeding in colonies, but scattering over the country and breeding in isolated pairs" (Life Histories of North American Birds, p. 133). An article by William Brew&ter on The Present Status of the Wild Pigeon as a Bird of the United States, with some Notes on its Habits (Auk, vi, 1889, pp. 285-291), gives much information concerning the recent history of the bird in Michigan, one of its last strongholds. According to an informant of Mr. Brewster's, the last nesting in Michi- gan of any importance was in 1881. " It was of only moderate size — perhaps eight miles long." The largest known Michigan nesting oc- curred in 1876 or 1877. It was twenty-eight miles long and averaged three or four miles in width. In the Atlantic States the Wild Pigeon is now so rare a bird that during the past sixteen years I have seen only one pair. 316. Zenaidura macroura (Zi«?i.). Mourning Dove. Ad. 3 .— Upper parts olive grayish bi'own ; forehead vinaceous ; crown bluish slate- color ; sides of the neck with metallic reflections, a small black mark below tlie ear; middle tail-feathers like the back, the others, seen from above, slaty gray for the basal half, then banded with black and broadly tipped with ashy ynd white; breast vinaceous; belly cream-buff. Ad. 9. — Similar, but with Iviss iridescence ; breast and forehead washed with grayish brown. Im. — ■ PIGEONS AND DOVES. 189 Much like the 9 , but the feathers tipped with whitish. L., 11-85; W., 5-72; T., 5-50; B., -53. Remarks. — The Dove is sometimes mistaken for the Wild Pigeon, hut, aside from the differences in size, may always be distinguished by its olive grayish brown instead of bluish slate-color rump, the black mark below the ear. and other characters. Rayige. — North America, breeding from Cuba north to Ontario, Quebec, and southern Maine, and wintering from southern Illinois and New York to the Greater Antilles and Panama. Washington, P. P.; common, except in winter. Sing Sing, common S. R,, Mch. 3 to Nov. 27 ; a few winter. Cambridge, occasional during summer in the immediate vicinity of Cambridge. Nest.^ a flat structure of small twigs rather loosely put together, on the lower branches of a tree, generally within ten feet of the ground ; rarely on the ground in the Eastern States. Eggs.^ two, white, 1-07 x -83. Doves resemble Wild Pigeons, but are much smaller, and their rapid flight is accompanied by the whistling sound of wings, while the flight of the Wild Pigeon is said to be noiseless. During the nesting season they may be found in pairs, generally in open woodlands or tree-bordered fields. They also visit roads and lanes to dust themselves. The sweet, sad call of the male has won for this species its common name ; it consists of several soft coos, which may be written : Coo-o-o, ah-coo-o-o — coo-o-o — coo-o-o. Under favor- able circumstances these notes may be heard at a distance of at least two hundred and fifty yards : they are uttered slowly and tenderly, and with such apparent depth of feeling that one might easily imagine the bird was mourning the loss of his mate, instead of singing a love- song to her. At this season one or both birds may be seen performing a peculiar aerial evolution. Ascending to a height of about thirty feet, they fly for some distance in an unnatural manner, and then, after a short sail, return to their perch. When engaged in this performance they very closely resemble a Sharp-shinned Hawk. After the nesting season Doves gather in flocks of varying size and frequent grain and corn flelds. During the day they visit the near- est supply of fine gravel, which they eat in large quantities as an aid to digestion. In some localities, soon after sunset, they regularly re- pair in numbers to some favorite place to drink, and then retire to their roosts. 317. Zenaida zenaida (Bonap.). Zenaida Dove. Ad. — Bears a general resemblance to Zenaidura macroura. but the tail is square and tipped with ashy, and the under parts are deep, rich vinaceous. L., lO'OO ; W., 6*10; T., 3-50 ; B., -66. Range. — Florida Keys, West Indies, and coast of Yucatan. Nest., on or near the ground. Eggs., two, glossy white, 1*22 x -92. 190 PIGEONS AND DOVES. This is a common West Indian species. Audubon found it in numbers in the keys off southern Florida, where he records it as a summer resident, arriving in April and departing in October. The few naturalists who have visited these keys since Audubon's time lave not been there in the summer, and we do not therefore know whether this species still occurs there at that season. It is more terrestrial in habits than the Mourning Dove, and its notes are deeper, louder, and more solemn than the notes of that species. The White- WINGED Dove {319. Melopelia leucoptera) is a species of gen- eral distribution from the Mexican border of the United States south to Costa Eica, and it has been recorded from Cuba, Jamaica, and San Domingo. It is of accidental occurrence at Key West, Florida. 320. Columbigallina passerina terrestris Chapm. Ground Dove; Mourning Dove. Ad. 6 . — Forehead and under parts vinaceous, the centers of the breast-feathers blackish ; top and back of the head bluish slate- color; back brownish gray ; tail blackish, the outer feathers with small white tips ; base of the bill coral-red, tip black. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but the forehead and under parts pale brownish gray. /?7i.— Resembles the 9 , but the feathers are tipped with whitish. L., 6-75 ; W., 3-60 ; T., 2*50 ; B., -50. Eange.—'^outh. Atlantic and Gulf States north to North Carolina, west to Texas ; more common near the coast than inland. Washington, accidental ; two records. Nest., on the ground or in low trees or bushes. Eggs., two, white, -85 x -67. This diminutive Pigeon frequents both pines and "hummocks," lake-shores and old fields, and in some southern towns is a familiar bird of the quieter streets. It is by no means shy, and runs before one with quick, short steps and a graceful movement of the head. Oc- casionally it holds its tail upright, giving it a peculiar bantamlike ap- pearance. Its flight is short, and when on the wing it bears an odd resemblance to a short-tailed Japanese kite. Its favorite roosting places are densely foliaged orange trees, and frequently when the bird is hidden in their depths one may hear its mellow, crooning coos uttered so softly that they float on the air as though born of murmuring winds. 322. Geotrygon martinica {GmeL). Quail Dove.— Upper parts rufous, with brilliant metallic reflections ; wings rufous ; a white line beneath the eye ; breast vinaceous ; belly white. L., irOO ; W., 6-20 ; T., 5-00 ; B., -50. Range. — Florida Keys and West Indies. Nest., in trees. Eggs., two, ochraceous-white, 1*22 x -94 (Bendire). A West Indian species which occurs during the summer regularly, but, so far as known, only in small numbers in the Florida Keys. The Quail Doves inhabit wooded districts, where they live on the ground. Their flight is low and noiseless, and, according to my ex- VULTURES. 191 pericnce with them in Cuba, they are difficult birds to observe unless one can find some tree on the fallen fruits of which they are feeding. The EuDDY QiAiL Dove {822.1. Geotrygon montana) is a West Indian and Central American species, which has been once recorded from Key West (Atkins, Auk, vi, 1889, p. 160). It bears a general resemblance to the pre- ceding, but the back is more rufous and the belly is deep cream-buU. The Bltte-headed Quail Dove (323. Starnmnas cyanocephala).i a Cuban species, is of accidental occurrence in the Florida Keys. The back is olive- brown, the crowii and sides of the throat are deep grayish blue, throat black, line beneath the eve white. ORDER RAPTORES. BIRDS OF PREY. Faihily Cathartid^. American Vultures. A New World family of eight species, of which three are North American. Within their range Vultures are found wherever there is food. Far above the earth on firm wing they sail in broad circles, and from this outlook in the sky descend to feast upon the stricken deer in the forest or the cur lying in the gutters of a thoroughfare. Except during the nesting season, they are generally found in flocks, which each night return to a regularly frequented roost. When alarmed, they utter low, grunting sounds, but at other times are voiceless. 325. Cathartes aura [Linn.). Turkey Vulture. (See Fig. 32.) Ad. — Head and neck naked, the skin and base of the bill bright red ; plum- age glossy black, edged with grayish brown. Im. — Similar, but the head covered with grayish-brown furlike feathers. L., about 30-00; W., 22-00; T., 11-00; B., 2-30. Range. — Temperate North America, from New Jersey southward to Pata- gonia. Of more or less regular occurrence in New Jersey as far north as Princeton m the interior and Sandy Hook on the coast. Washington, abundant P. R. Sing Sing, A. V. A'^s^, in hollow stumps or logs, or on the ground beneath bushes or pal- mettos. Eggs., one to three, dull white, generally spotted and blotched with distinct and obscure chocolate marking, but sometimes plain or but slightly spotted, 2-80 x 2-00. Doubtless one of the first things that attract the attention of a stranger in our Southern States is the Turkey Buzzard. Indeed, there are few moments between sunrise and sunset when these birds are not in sight. On outstretched, immovable wings they soar overhead in graceful circles, perfect pictures of " repose in motion." Without once flapping their broad pinions, they sail in spirals up the sky until they are hidden by the storm-clouds they have purposely avoided. 192 VULTURES. Again, one sees them winging their way low over fields or through the streets of a town in search of food, which their powers of both sight and smell assist them in finding. Their services as scavengers are invaluable. The thought of bury- ing a dead horse or cow never occurs to the southern planter. He simply drags the animal to a more or less retired place and leaves it for the Buzzards, who never fail to do justice to the repast. In some southern towns they make a self-constituted street-clean- ing department, and if their efforts were seconded by a corps of goats, to dispose of the more indigestible materials, they would form an ad- mirable branch of the public service. After a rain it is a common sight to see Buzzards perching with wings held in spread-eagle fashion as they dry their water-soaked plumage. Frequently they stand on the top of a chimney to take ad- vantage of the heat arising with the smoke. Their only note is a low, hissing sound uttered when they are dis- turbed. Just after sunset Buzzards may be seen sailing to their roosting place, generally in the upper branches of a dead tree. 326. Catharista atrata {Burtr.). Black Vulture. . Ad. — Head and neck bare, the skin and base of the bill blackish ; plumage glossy black ; under surface of the wings silvery. L., about 24-00 ; W., 17-00 ; T., 8*00 ; B., 2-20. Range. — Breeds from North Carolina southward, through Mexico to South America, and occasionally strays as far north as Maine. Nest., on the ground, under logs, bushes, palmettos, etc. Eggs., one to three, pale bluish white, generally more or less spotted with distinct and obscure chocolate markings, 2-95 x 2-00. This species is more abundant near the seacoast and less common in the interior than the preceding. It is also more often found living in towns or cities. Any one who has visited the vicinity of the market in Charleston, S. C, will testify to its abundance and semi-domestica- tion there. Indeed, the birds have become so tame that when engaged in devouring some savory morsel they are in frequent danger of being trodden under foot. Black Vultures are heavier birds than Turkey Buzzards, and when- ever the ownership of food is in question the dispute is invariably settled in the Vulture's favor. Their stretch of wing, however, is not so great, and for this reason their flight is far less easy and graceful than that of the Buzzard. They flap their wings oftener, and this habit, in connection with their black heads, grayish primaries, and comparatively short tails, serves to identify them in the field. The only note I have ever heard from them is a low grunt uttered when they are disturbed. FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 193 Family Falconid^. Falcons, Hawks, Eagles, etc. The three hundred and fifty species included in this family are distributed throughout the world. One tenth of the number are found in Xorth America. During the migratory seasons they may some- times be seen traveling in scattered flocks, which may take hours to pass a given point. At other times of the year, with few exceptions, they are solitary birds, having no intercourse with their kind. During the breeding season many species have definitely bounded haunts, upon which intrusion by individuals of the same species is not permitted. With much regularity they return to the same locality and even the same nest year after year, and some species are known to mate for life. Their days are an unceasing vigil. At all times they are on the alert for food. This consists to a large extent of small mammals and in- sects, birds and poultry forming a comparatively insignificant part of the diet of most species. Hawks are thus of great value to the agri- culturist as the natural check upon the increase of the myriads of small rodents so destructiv^e to crops. The cries of Hawks are generally loud, startling, and characteristic of their fierce natures. They strike their prey with their feet, and use the bill to tear it into fragments. Hawks' nests are generally bulky affairs, composed of coarse twigs and sticks. The presence of downy feathers gives evidence that they are or have been recently occupied. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing over 19-00. A. Upper half of tarsus feathered. a. Whole head and neck white . . . . . . 352. Bald Eagle (Ad.). b. Head and neck brown or brownish. b^. Bill mostly yellow (Greenland) . . 351. Gray Sea Eagle (Ad.), ?A Bill black or blackish 352. Bald Eagle (Im.). B. Whole tarsus feathered 349. Golden Eagle, II. Wing under 19-00. 1. Feathers of under parts more or less streaked and spotted, without cross-bars. A. Outer primary with numerous black or blackish bars, a. Wing under 10-00. a^. Back bright rufous, with or without black bars. 360. Am. Sparrow Hawk, a'. Back bluish slate-color 357. Pigeon Hawk (Ad.). a8. Back fuscous, second primary longest, 357. Pigeon Hawk (Im.), a*. Back fuscous, fourth primary longest, tail-feathers of nearly equal length ; wing under 9-00 332. Sharp-shinned Hawk. 14 194 Fx\LCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. flo. Back fuscous, fourth primary longest, outer tail-feathers half an inch or more shorter than the middle ones; wing over 9-00. 333. Cooper's Hawk. b. Wing over 10-00. Ji. Second primary longest, tail generally over 9*00. b''. "Lower tail-coverts immaculate white." 353. White Gyrfalcon. As, " Lower tail-coverts always more or less marked with dusky." 354. Gray Gyrfalcon and Eaces. c^. Second primary longest, tail under 9*00. c". Tarsus shorter than middle toe without nail, upper parts blackish. 356. Duck Hawk. c8. Tarsus longer than middle toe without nail, upper parts brownish 355. Prairie Falcon. d^. Third or fourth primary longest. d^. Upper tail-coverts white 331. Marsh Hawk. d^. Upper tail-coverts brownish . . . 334. Am. Goshawk (Im.). £. Outer primary generally one color, base sometimes whitish or with a few imperfect bars. a. Tarsus entirely bare, scales on its front large, rounded. 362. Audubon's Caracara. b. Tarsus entirely feathered .... 348. Ferruginous Kough-leo. c. Tarsus partly feathered, scales on its front small, rounded. 364. Am. Osprey. d. Tarsus partly feathered, scales on its front transverse, more or less square. d^. Three outer primaries emarginate or " notched." * d^. Wing under 12-00 .... 343. Broad-winged Hawk (Im.). d^. Wing over 12-00 342. Swainson's Hawk (Im.). e^. Four outer primaries emarginate or '• notched." t e^. Upper tail-coverts pure white 331. Marsh Hawk. gs. Upper tail-coverts not pure white; wing under 13-50; lesser wing-coverts conspicuously margined with rufous. 339. Eed-shouldered Hawk (Im.). e*. Upper tail-coverts not pure white ; wing over 13*50 ; lesser wing- coverts not conspicuously margined with rufous. 337. Ked-tailed Hawk and Races. 2. Feathers of under parts -with more or less numerous cross-bars. A. Scales on front of the tarsus numerous, rounded. a. Wing under 15-00 356. Duck Hawk. b. Wing over 15-00 362. Audubon's Caracara. JS. Scales on front of the tarsus sharply defined, transverse, more or less square. a. Four or five outer primaries emarginate or " notched." f fli. Tail white at the base an(> tipped with whitish. 330. Everglade Kite. * See Fig. 70. t See Fig. 69. FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 195 (7>. Tail rufous, with sometimes a black band near the end. 337. Red-tailed Hawk (Ad.) and Races. aS. Tail black or blackish, with four to six white or grayish cross- Bars . 339. Red-shouldered Hawk (Ad.). 339a. Florida Red-shouldered Hawk (Ad.). a*. Tail 10-00 long, gray, Avith several indistinct blackish bands. 334. Am. Goshawk. b. Three outer primaries emarginate or "notched."* b^. Tail with two or three broad whitish bars. 343. Broad-winged Hawk (Ad.). J'. Tail with numerous narrow, indistinct blackish bars. 342. Swainson's Hawk (Ad.). C. Front of the tarsus smooth, or with the scales not sharply defined ; outer primary barred. a. Wing under 9-00, tail-feathers of nearly equal length. 332. Sharp-shinned Hawk (Ad.). b. Wing over 9'00, outer tail-feathers half an inch shorter than the mid- dle ones ; upper tail-coverts not white. 333. Cooper's Hawk (Ad.). c. Wing over 9"00; upper tail-coverts white. 331. Marsh Hawk (Ad.). D. Tarsus entirely feathered. a. Legs rich rufous, heavily barred . 348. Ferruginous Rough-lbg. b. Legs ochraceous-buff, more or less barred. 347a. Air. Rough-legged Hawk. 3. Under parts without streaks or bars. A. Under parts white. a. Scales on front of tarsus transverse, more or less square. 334. Short-tailed Hawk. b. Scales on front of tarsus numerous, rounded. bK Tail barred. b^. Upper parts not barred 364. Am. Ospre-S b^. Upper parts barred 353. White Gyrfalcon. €^. Tail not barred. c^. Tail square, white 328. White-tailed Kite. 6-3. Tail forked, bluish black . . . 327. Swallow-tailed Kite. £. Under parts dark brown, slate, gray, or black. a. Tarsus entirely feathered . . . 347a. Am. Rough-legged Hawk. b. Tarsus partly feathered, scales transverse, more or less square. b^. Wing over 13'00. b^. Upper tail-coverts, base and tip of the tail white ; two outer primaries slightly " notched " . . . . 330. Everglade Kite, 53. Three outer primaries " notched " * . 342. Swainson's Hawk. b*. Four outer primaries " notched " . . 338. Harlan's Hawk. c^. Wing under 13-00. c2. Primaries more or less distinctly barred ; general plumage sooty black 344. Short-tailed Hawk. c3. Primaries not barred ; general plumage slaty blue. 329. Mississippi Kite. * See Fig. 70. 196 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 327. Elanoides forficatus {Linn.). Swallow-tailed Kite. Ad. — Head, neck, liinnni {Aud.). Harlan's Hawk, Ad. — Upper parts dark sooty fuscous, the bases of the feathers more or less barred with gray- ish ; tail closely mottled with black, fuscous, rufous, and whitish ; under parts varying from white more or less spotted across the belly to sooty fuscous. Im. — Similar, but the tail barred with blackish, grayish, rufous, or whitish, tipped with white. $ L., about 19-00; W., 15'50; T., 8-25. 9 L., about 21.00; W., 17-00; T., 9-25. Range. — " Gulf States and lower Mississippi Valley ; north (casually) to Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, and Pennsylvania; east to Georgia and Florida" (Ben- dire). Dr. William L. Ralph, in Captain Bendire's Life Histories of North American Birds (p. 218), reports this species as not uncommon during the winter in St. John's and Putnam Counties, Florida. He writes: *' They are exactly like the Red-tailed Hawks except in color, and their call-note is the same, only being longer drawn out. The call of the latter bird, as already stated, sounds like the sguealing of a pig, or * kee-ee-e,^ and that of Harlan's Hawk like ' kee-ee-ee-e-e-ee." ' The Western Redtail (337b. B. i. calurus) has been recorded from Illi- nois, and one specimen of the European Buzzard {336. Bnteo huteo) is said to have been taken in Michigan. 339* Buteo linea;tus ( Gmel.). Eed-shouldered Hawk ; Hen Hawk ; Chicken Hawk. Ad. — Upper parts dark grayish fuscous-brown, more or less edged with rufous, ochraceous - buif, and whitish ; four outer primaries "notched," all barred with black and white; lesser wing-coverts rufous^ forming a conspicuous " shoulder " patch ; tail black or fuscous, with four or five white cross-bars and a white tip; throat streaked with blackish : rest of under parts rufous or ochraceous- buff, everywhere barred with Avhite or whitish, /m.— Upper parts much as in the adult; basal part of the primaries mostly ocTiraceous-huf, fading to whitish on the inner web, with broken bars of fuscous ; lesser wing-coverts conspicuously margined with rufous or rufous- chestnut ; tail dark grayish brown, indistinctly barred with fuscous, and on 202 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. the basal half with more or less rufous, the inner webs of the feathers with sometimes white bars ; under parts white or whitish, streaked or spotted with black or blackish, the legs sometimes barred with rufous. 6 L., 18-30; W., 12o0, 'l\, 8-00; B. from N., -75. 9 L., 20-35: W., 13-50; T., 9-00. Fig. 69.— Four-notched primaries of Red-shouldered Hawk. (Reduced.) RemarJcs. — Adults of this species may always be known by the rich rufous lesser wing-coverts. Immature birds are sometimes confused with the young of the Eed-tailed or Broad-winged Hawks. From the former they may be distinguished by their small size, rufous margins of the lesser wing-coverts ochraceous-butt markings on the primaries, and the continuously streaked under parts ; from the latter they differ in having four instead of three outer primaries " notched," in being larger, and in having ochraceous-butf on the primaries. Range. — Eastern North America, north to Nova Scotia and Manitoba ; resi- dent nearly throughout its range. Washington, common P. R. Sing Sing, common P. E. Cambridge, com- mon P. R., less common in winter. Nest., in trees, thirty to sixty feet from the ground. Eggs., three to six, dull white, generally more or less sprinkled, spotted, or blotched with cinna- mon-brown or chocolate, 2-15 x 1-65. The present species and the Red-tailed Hawk are the birds to which the names Chicken Hawk and Hen Hawk are most frequently misap- plied. Being both common species whose habits render them easily observed, they are often unjustly made to suffer for the sins of their bird-killing relatives of the genus AccijMer. The farmer sees a Hawk sailing in wide circles above him, uttering its fierce, screaming cry of hee-you, Tcee-you. While he is watching it a sly, low-flying Accipiter slips by him and makes a sudden dash into the poultry yard. The farmer does not discriminate ; a Hawk is a Hawk, and, shaking his fist at the bird in the air, he vows vengeance at the first opportunity. The E,ed-shouldered Hawk is at most times of the year a bird of the woods. Particularly does it like low woods watered with small streams from which it can obtain its favorite food of frogs. Its note is one of the common sounds of summer, and can be heard when the bird is almost lost to sight far up in the sky. It is frequently imi- tated by the Blue Jay. FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 203 " Of 220 stomachs examined, 3 contained poultry ; 12, other birds ; 102, mice; 40, other mammals; 20, reptiles; 39, batrachians; 92, in- sects; 16, spiders; 7, crawfish; 1, earthworms; 2, offal; 3, fish; and 14 were empty " (Fisher). 339a. B. 1. alleni Ridgw. Florida Red-Shouldered Hawk. — Adults of this species miiy easily be distinguished from those of B. lineatus by their smaller size, grayish white head, with black shaft streaks and no rufous, the smaller fuscous tips on the scapulars and interscapulars, which do not con- ceal the ashy gray bases of the feathers, by the whitish or grayish cheeks and throat, and the ochraceous-butf, indistinctly barred under parts. Im- mature birds are very similar to those of B. lineatus^ and can be distin- guished only by their smaller size and darker color. $ W., 11-00 ; T., 7*50 ; B., 1-20. Range. — Florida, north along the Atlantic coast to South Carolina, west along the Gulf coast to eastern Texas. 342. Buteo swainsoni Bonap. Swainson's Hawk, Ad. 6 .—Upper parts fuscous-brown, more or less margined with rufous or buffy ; primaries 'unbarred., three outer ones " notched " ; tail slightly grayer than the back, with numerous indistinct, blackish bars showing more plainly on the under surface; breast covered by a largQ., cinnamon-rufous patch ; belly white or ochraceous-buft", streaked, spotted, or ban-ed with blackish, rufous, or buff. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but larger, the breast patch of the same color as the back. 6 and ? in dark or melanistic plumage. — Entire plumage fuscous, the under tail- and under v»'ing-coverts and the tail sometimes spotted or barred. 7m.— Upper parts fuscous-brown, widely margined with buffy and rufous; base of the primaries grayish, and sometimes with a few broken bars ; tail much as in the ad. ; under parts ochraceous-buff, spotted and streaked with blackish. 3 L., 20-00 ; W., 15-00 ; T., 8-50 ; B. from N., -75. Remarhs.—EQtweQn the light and dark phases of coloration there is every degree of intergradation, but in any plumage this Hawk may be distinguished from our other species by having only three outer primaries notched. In this respect it agrees with B. latissimus, from which, however, it differs decidedly both in size and color. ^a«^e.— Western North America, eastward to the Mississippi; breeds from Texas to the arctic regions, and occasionally strays eastward to the At- lantic States. Nest, in trees, thirty to eighty feet from the ground. Eggs, two to three, varying from dull bluish white to creamy white, sometimes unmarked, but generally more or less spotted or blotched with shades of cinnamon-brown, 2-30 X 1-72. Swainson's Hawk is of rare occurrence east of the Mississippi. Dr. Fisher writes: "By preference it frequents the timber in the vicinity of streams, though often it is found far out on the prairie, where its only perch is the earth mound of some mammal, or some other slightly elevated knoll." 204 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 343. Buteo latissimus ( Wlls.). Broad-winged Hawk, Ad. — Upper parts dark <,n-ayisli brown or fuscous, more or less margined with buffy and rufous; three outer primaries "notched" and without ochraceous-butf markings ; tail fus- cous, with two bars and the tip grayish white ; under parts heavily barred with brownish ochraceous- FiG. 70.— Three-notched primaries of Broad-winged '^""* ^^^' Upper Hawk. (Reduced.) parts like the pre- ceding ; tail grayish brown, with three to five indistinct black bars {^nd a narrow whitish tip ; under parts white or butfy white, streaked and spotted with fuscous. 3 L., 15-89 ; W., 10-68 : T., 6-75 : B. from N., -YO. 9 L., 16-76 ; W., 11-41 ; T., 7-09. Bemarks. — Compared with the other members of this genus, the three " notched " primaries and small size are the principal characters of this Hawk. Range. — Breeds throughout eastern North America, from New Brunswick southward. Washington, not common W. V., rare S. E. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. K., Mch. 15 to Oct. 23, Cambridge, T. V., sometimes common in Sept. ; rare in spring. Nest., in trees, twenty-five to fifty feet from the ground. Eggs., two to four, dull white or buffy white spotted, blotched, or washed with ochraceous-buff or cinnamon-brown, 2-10 x 1-60. " Of all our Hawks, this species seems to be the most unsuspicioui?. often allowing a person to approach within a few yards of it, and when startled flies but a short distance before it alights again. Dur- ing the early summer the Broad-winged Hawk often may be seen sit- ting for hours on the dead top of some high tree. At other times it is found on the smaller trees in the deep woods, along streams, or on the ground, where its food is more often procured. Although slug- gish and unusually heavy in its flight, it is capable of rapid motion, and sometimes soars high in the air. One of its notes resembles quite closely that of the Wood Pewee. . . . "Of 65 stomachs examined, 2 contained small birds; 15. mice; 13, other mammals; 11, reptiles; 13, batrachians ; 30, insects; 2, earth- worms ; 4, crawfish ; and 7 were empty " (Fisher). 344. Buteo brachyurus Vieill. Short - tailed Hawk. . Ad.— Upper parts slaty gray or fuscous grayish brown; forehead whitish; tail barred with black and narrowly tipped with white, its under surface grayish ; sides of the breast with some rufous-brown markings; rest of the under parts pure white. Jm. — Similar, but upper parts browner and margined with cream-buff; under parts washed with cream-buff; no rufous-brown on the breast. Dark phase. — Fuscous-blacky with a slight metallic luster ; forehead FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 205 whitish ; tail lighter than back, barred with black, its under surface and the under surface of the primaries grayish. L., 17-00; W., 12-50; T., 7-00; Tar., 2-35 ; B. from N., -70. Range. — Florida and Mexico southward through South America. Isest^ in trees. Eggs (?), dull white, spotted at the larger end with small spots and blotches of reddish brown over about one fourth the surface, 2-16 x 161 (Pennock). A rare resident in Florida. According to Mr. C. J. Pennock, who found its nest at St. Marks on April 3, its call somewhat resembles the scream of the Red-shouldered Hawk, but is finer and more pro- longed (Auk, vii, 1890, p. 56 ; see also Scott, ibid., vi, 1889, p. 243). The Mexican Goshawk {S46. Asturina plagiata) is a tropical species which reaches the southwestern border of the United States. An individual seen by Mr. Robert Kidgway in southern Illinois, August 19, 1871, is the only known instance of its occurrence east of the Mississippi. 347a. Archibuteo lagopus sancti-johannis (Gmel.). Ameri- can KoLGH-LEGGED Hawk. Ad., light joAcrse.— Upper parts fuscous-brown, margined with whitish and ochraceous-buff ; inner vanes of the primaries white at the base ; basal half of the tail white or buffy, end with two or three grayish or whitish bars ; under parts varying from white to ochraceous-buft, streaked and spotted with black, these marks uniting to form a broken band across the belly ; front of tarsi entirely feathered. Im., normal phase.— ^\u\\- lar to the ad., but the end half of the tail without bars except for the white tip, the under parts more heavily marked with black, the belly baud being broad and continuous. Black jo^as^.— Plumage more or less entirely black, the primaries and tail barred with whitish and grayish. L., 22-00 ; W., 16-00 ; T., 9-50. ' Remarks.— \X.?> feathered tarsi and heavily marked under parts characterize this species. Range.— ^or\h. America, breeding north of the United States and winter- ing as far south as Virginia. Washington, rare and irregular W. V. Sing Sing, A. V. Cambridge, not uncommon T. V., :Nov. ; Mch. ; a few winter. Nest, on rocky ledges or in trees. Eggs, two to five, dull white, sometimes unmarked, but generally more or less spotted, blotched, or scrawled with cin- namon-brown or chocolate, 2-20 x 1-75. " The Rough-leg is one of the most nocturnal of our Hawks, and may be seen in the fading twilight watching from some low perch or beating with measured, noiseless flight over its hunting ground. It follows two very different methods in securing its food— one by sitting on some stub or low tree and watching the ground for the appearance of its prey, as the Red-tail does ; the other by beating back and forth just above the tops of the grass or bushes and dropping upon its vic- tim, after the manner of the Marsh Hawk. . . . " The flight of the Rough-leg is seldom rapid and often appears 206 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. labored, and when on the wing this Hawk resembles the Osprey more than any other bird of prey. . . . " Of 49 stomachs examined, 40 contained mice ; 5, other mammals ; 1, lizards; 1, insects; and 4 were empty" (Fisher). 348. Archibuteo ferrugiaeus {Lic?d.). Ferruginous Eough-leg. Ad.^ light phase. — Upper parts mostly rufous, the centers of the feathers fus- cous ; tail grayish white, margined witli rufous; legs rufous, barred with black \ rest of under parts white, more or less barred with rufous on the sides and belly; tarsi fully feathered in front. Im. — Upper parts dark grayish brown, slightly varied with ochraceous-butf ; tail silvery grayish brown, without bars, the base white ; under parts white, lightly spotted and streaked with fuscous. Dark phase. — Dark fuscous-brown, more or less varied with rufous ; prima- ries and tail as in the ad. L., 23-00 ; W., 17-00 ; T., 10-50. Kemarks.—'^h.\» species is to be distinguished from the preceding prin- cipally by its much larger bill and differently colored tail and under parts. Range. — " Western United States ; east to and across the great plains (oc- casionally to Illinois) ; north to the Saskatchewan ; south into Mexico " (Ben- dire). Nest.^ in trees or on the ground in rocky places. Eggs., two to four, " white, or huffy white, usually more or less spotted, blotched, or clouded with brown or grayish purple (or both), 2-42 x 1-88" (Kidgw.). This bird is rarely found east of the Mississippi. Dr. Fisher re- marks: "The Squirrel Hawk is pre-eminently a bird of the prairie, and, unlike the common Rough-leg, shows little partiality to the vicinity of water, though in other respects it closely resembles the latter bird in habits," 349. Aquila chrysaetos {Linn.). Golden Eagle. Ad. — Back of the head and nape pale, huffy ochraceous; basal two thirds of the tail white ; tarsus white, entirely feathered ; rest of the plumage fuscous - brown ; quills fuscous, hn. — Similar, but base of the tail with broken grayish bars ; tarsus and under tail- coverts ochraceous-buff'. $ L., 30-00- 35-00; Ex., 78-00-84-00; W., 23-00-24-70; T., 14-00-15-00; Tar., 3-65-3-80. 9 L., 35-00- 40-00; Ex., 84-00-90-00; W., 25-00-27-00; T., 15-00-16-00; Tar., 4-15-4-25 (Kidgw.). Range. — North America ; of rare occurrence east of the Mississippi. Washington, rare W. \^ Sing Sing, A. V. Nest., on cliffs or rocky ledges. Eggs, two to three, dull white, obscurely or distinctly blotched or speckled with shades of cinnamon-brown, 2-93 x 2-34. Foot of Golden Eagle. FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 207 " It seems to be nowhere a common species in the east, but it is much more numerous in the mountainous parts of the far west. It is confined chiefly to the mountains and more northern latitudes, where it breeds. It is able to endure intense cold, and sometimes remains far north in winter. In fact, its movements at that season are more in the form of wandering for food than regular migration to the south. "The food consists mainly of mammals and birds, of which sper- mophiles, rabbits, fawns, lambs, turkeys, grouse, waterfowl, and other large birds form the principal part, though offal and carrion are some- times taken. ... Of 6 stomachs examined, 1 contained feathers; 2, mammals ; 2, carrion ; and 1 was empty " (Fisher). 351. Haliseetus albicilla {Linn.). Gray Sea Eagle. ^^.— Tail white, rest of plumage varying from grayish brown to fuscous. Im. — " With plumage largely light cinnamon-brown or isabella-color. 6 L., 31-00-34-00 ; W., 23-00-26-00; T., 11-50-12-00" (Ridgw.). Range. — Northern parts of the Old World; Greenland. Ifiest., on clifls or in trees. Eggs., two to three, dull white, " occasionally with small, faint spots of light brown " (Davie), 8-00 x 2-35. This is a common species in Greenland. 352. Haliseetus leucocephalus {Linn.). Bald Eagle. Ad.— Head, neck, and tail white, rest of the plumage fuscous; bill yellow; tarsus not fully feathered. Im. — Fuscous, more or less varied with white ; tail fuscous, more or less mottled with white, particu- larly on the inner vanes of the feathers ; bill black. 6 L., 32-85 ; Ex., 84-10 ; W., 22-00; T., 11-90; B., 2-48. 9 L., 35-50; Ex., 89-00 ; W., 24-00 ; T., 12-25 ; Weight, 12 lbs. Range. — North America, breeding throughout its range. Washington, not common P. R. Sing Sing, common P. K. Cambridge, of ir- regular occurrence at all seasons. Kest^ generally in tall trees. Eggs, two to three, dull white, 2-85 x 2-20. Bald Eagles are seldom found far from the water. Here they may be seen soaring overhead, winging their way to and from their feeding ground, or occupying some favorite perch, generally in an exposed posi- tion. They subsist principally upon fish. As a last resort they some- times capture these themselves, but dead fish cast up on the shore Foot of Bald Eagle. 208 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. are eagerly taken, and their habit of robbing the Fish Hawk of his well-earned booty is too well known to be commented upon. In some localities, particularly in the south during the winter, they live largely upon w^ater-fowl which they capture themselves. The voice of the Bald Eagle has a weird, human quality. Dr. Fisher says : " At a distance the note of the Bald Eagle is not alto- gether unpleasant, resembling somewhat that of Sea Gulls, but near by it is grating and suggests a maniacal laugh." Dr. William L. Ralph writes in Captain Bendire's Life Histories of North American Birds, p. 277 : " The cry of the male is a loud and clear cac-cac-cac, quite dif- ferent from that of the female — so much so that I could always recog- nize the sex of the bird by it ; the call of the latter is more harsh and often broken." The conspicuous white head and tail of adults of this species render it easy of identification even at a considerable distance. Young birds too closely resemble Golden Eagles to be distinguished with certainty, but the rarity of that species in the east makes it probable that any Eagle observed is a Bald Eagle. 353. Falco islandus i?r^?/2r^. White Gyrfalcon. ^c?,— Head white, finely streaked with black ; scapulars, interscapulars, and wing-coverts brown- ish gray, widely margined with wliite ; tail white, the central feathers with sometimes broken bars ; under parts white, lightly streaked with grayish brown; under tail-coverts white. Im. — Similar, but upper parts with nar- rower white margins ; tail barred with brownish gray, under parts heavily streaked with the same color. L., 22-00 ; W., 16-00 ; T., 10-00 ; B. from N., -95. Range. Arctic regions ; casually south in winter to Maine. Nest^ on rocky cliffs. Eggs., three to four, varying from creamy white, spotted or blotched with cinnamon-brown, to uniform pale reddish brown, spotted or blotched with shades of the same color, 2-30 v 1-85. " The food consists of water-fowl and other birds — largely of vari- ous arctic species of Grouse which are captured on the wing. All these northern Falcons were formerly esteemed for hawking, as they still are by the Mongol races ; their style of flight is magnificent— much swifter than that of the Peregrine— and both are deadly 'footers' (i. e., tenacious of grip), but they lack spirit and dash " (Saunders). 354. Falco rusticoliis Linn. Gray Gyrfalcon. Ad. — Upper parts grayish fuscous, barred and margined with butfy white ; tail with numerous bars of the same colors; under parts white, streaked and spotted with black- ish ; legs and under tail-coverts barred with brownish gray. L., 20-00 ; W., 15-50; T., 9-50; B. from N., -90. Range. — Arctic regions ; in America, south in winter to the northern United States. Nest., on cliffs or in trees. Eggs., three to four, not distinguishable frona those of the preceding, 2-37 x 1-72. FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 209 354a. F. r. gyrfalco (Linn.). Gyrfalcon.— Head streaked with buffy white and fusf<.)us or black ; back varying from brownish gray to slaty fuscoua, without complete bars and sometimes entirely unbarred ; tail of the same color as the back, with indistinct or incomplete lighter bars; under parts heavily streaked with whitish and fuscous. Range. — '' Northern Europe and arctic America, from northern Labrador and coasts of Hudson Bay to Alaska" ; casually south in winter to R. L 354b. F. r. obsoletus {Gmel.). Black Gyrfalcon.— Upper parts uniform slaty fuscous, without bars; tail the same, without or with only broken bars ; under parts of the same color as the back ; the feathers with partly concealed bufty spots. Range. — Labrador ; southward in winter, casually to Long Island. Remarks. — Gyrfalcons are so rare in collections that the descriptions here given can not be considered as applying to the species as a whole, but rather to the individuals from which the descriptions were taken. F. islandus is the lightest colored, and F. r. obsoletus is the darkest of our supposed four forms, while the others are intermediate between these two. 355. Falco mexicanus Schleg. Prairie Falcon. Ad. — Above, grayish brown ; primaries and inner webs of all but the middle tail-feathers' with numerous buify bars or spots ; below, white, streaked and spotted with dark grayish brown. Im. — Similar, but with the upper parts margined with ochraceous-buff or bulfy. 6 L., 17-00 ; W., 12-20 ; T., 7-00. Range. — Western United States, eastw'ard casually to Hlinois. Kest.^ on cliffs, sometimes in hollow trees. Fggs., two to five, "creamy white, vinaceous-white, or pale vinaceous- buffy, sprinkled, speckled, or irregularly spotted with madder-brown, 2-06 x 1-60" (Eidgw.). " The Prairie Falcon, as the name implies, is a typical plains bird, and inhabits the dry interior. . . . " The flight of this Hawk is swift and graceful, though in most cases it is carried on at no great distance from the ground. It is not a shy bird, except in sections where it has been persecuted and has learned that man is its worst enemy " (Fisher). 356. Falco peregrinus 2Ln2Utvan (Bonap.). Dlxk Hawk. Ad.— Upper parts dark bluish slate-color; primaries barred with ochraceous; tail indistinctly barred with blackish and tipped with white ; under parts cream- buff, barred and spotted with black, except on the breast. Im. — Upper parts fuscous, more or less margined with ochraceous or rufous; region below the eye black ; ear-coverts buffy ; wings as in the ad. ; upper surface of the tail barred with grayish, under surface barred with ochraceous-buff; under parts cream-buff or ochraceous-buff, streaked, spotted, or barred with black. $ ]j., 16-00; W., 12-25; T., 6-50; B. from N., -68. 9 L., 19-00; W., 14-00; T., 7-50. Range. — North America and the greater part of South America, breeding locally from our Southern States northward. Washington, rare and irregular W. V. Sing Sing, casual. Cambridge, rare T. V., casual in winter. 15 210 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. Nest^ on rocky cliffs and in the hollow limbs of tall trees. Eggs^ three to four, varying from creamy white, heavily marked with cinnamon-brown, to pale reddish brown, more or less marked with shades of the same color, 2-05 X 1-68. This species is the " Noble Peregrine " of falconry. It would be difficult to imagine a bird more highly endowed with qualities which make the ideal bird of prey. Its strength of wing and talon is equaled by its courage. No bird flies more swiftly than the Duck Hawk. Even Teal — those winged bullets — can not escape it. No bird is more daring. I have had Duck Hawks dart down to rob me of wounded Snipe lying almost at my feet, nor did my ineffective shots prevent them from returning. Duck Hawks are generally found near water, where they prey largely on water birds. " Of 20 stomachs examined, 7 contained poultry or game birds ; 9, other birds; 1, mice; 2, insects; and 4 were empty" (Fisher). 357. Falco columbarius Linn. Pigeon Hawk, ^d— Upper parts slaty blue, a broken butty or rusty collar on the neck ; primaries barred with white; tail with three or four distinct grayish white bars and a white tip; under parts varying from cream-buflt' to deep ochraceous, streaked with black- ish, except on the throat. Im. — Upper parts fuscous or brownish fuscous, a broken buff'y collar on the nape ; primaries barred with ochraceous ; tail with three or four incomplete buify bars and a whitish tip ; under parts much as in the ad. L., 10-00-13-00 ; W., 8-00 ; T., 6-50.; B. from N., -45. Bemarks. — This little Falcon bears some resemblance to a Duck Hawk, but is much smaller. ^^,„_^^,_Breeds from the northern United States northward ; winters from the Southern States southward to South America. Washington, not uncommon T. V. Sing Sing, tolerably common T. V., Apl. 1 to May 11 ; Aug. 10 to Oct. 15. Cambridge, common T. V., Apl. 10 to May 5 ; Sept. and Oct. ; occasional in winter. Nest., in trees, in hollow limbs, or on cliff's. Eggs^ four to five, varying from creamy white, more or less heavily marked with reddish brown or choco- late, to reddish brown marked with shades of the same color, 1-65 x 1-20. •' This Falcon, with the exception possibly of the Broad- winged Hawk, is the least shy of all our diurnal birds of prey, and often may be approached within a few rods. It frequents the more open country and edges of woods, and is common along the shores of large bodies of water. . . . " The flight is very rapid and resembles that of the Wild Pigeon quite closely ; nor does the similarity end here, for while sitting on a tree the general poise is that of a Pigeon in repose, and specimens have been mistaken and shot for the latter bird.' . . . Sparrow Hawk and young. FALCOXS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. 211 "Of 56 stomachs examined, 2 contained poultry; 41, small birds; 2, mice ; 10, insects ; and 5 were empty " (Fisher). The Meklin {S58.1. Falco regulus) and the Kestrel {859.1. Falco tinnun- culus)., both Old- World species, have each been recorded once from this side of the Atlantic, the Merlin from Greenland, the Kestrel from Massachusetts (Cory, Auk, v, 1888, pp. 110, 205;. 360. Falco sparveriiis Linn. American Sparrow Hawk. Ad. $. — Back rufous, more or less barred with black ; tail rufous, a black band near its end, the tip white ; head slaty blue, with generally a rufous spot on the crown ; wing-coverts slaty blue, primaries barred with white ; a black mark before and behind the white ear-coverts ; under parts varying from cream- buff to ochraceous-butf; belly and sides spotted with black. Ad. ?. — Back, tail, and wing-coverts rufous, barred with black ; head as in the male ; under parts more or less heavily streaked with dark ochraceous-butf. Im. — Closely resemble the adults. L., 10-00 ; W., 7-30 ; T., 4-80 ; B. from N., -45. Range. — Breeds from Florida to Hudson Bay, and winters from New Jer- sey southward. Washington, common W. V., rare S. K. Sing Sing, rather rare P. K. Cambridge, rather common S. E., Feb. to Nov. Kest.^ in a hole in a tree, frequently in a Woodpecker's deserted nest. Eggs., three to seven, varying from creamy white to rufous, generally finely and evenly marked with shades of the ground color, 1-40 x 1-12. An old stub or branchless trunk of a dead tree standing well out in a field is the kind of perch the Sparrow Hawk most frequently chooses. From this lookout, like a Loggerhead Shrike, he awaits the appearance of game below. Generally it is a grasshopper which falls his victim. When he detects one, he flies directly over it and poises on hovering wings until the right opportunity offers, when he drops lightly downward, clutches his prey in his talons, and then returns to his perch to devour it at leisure. The Sparrow Hawk's call is a rather high, quickly repeated killy- killy-killy-killy, which in some sections gives it the name of " Killy Hawk." " Of 320 stomachs examined, 1 contained a game bird ; 53, other birds; 89, mice: 12, other mammals; 12, reptiles or batrachians; 215, insects ; 29, spiders ; and 29 were empty '' (Fisher). The Cuban Sparrow Hawk (361. Falco sparverioides) is of accidental oc- currence in the Florida Keys. It has two color phases; in one, the under parts, including the under wing-coverts, are white ; in the other, these parts are rufous. 382. Polyborus cheriway (Jacg.). Audubon's Caracara. Ad.— Face bare ; crown, lower back, wings, and belly black ; throat buffy ; nape, interscapulars, and breast barred with black and buffy ; tail white, barred 212 FALCONS, HAWKS, EAGLES, ETC. and tipped with black. Im. — Similar, but browner, and with few or no bars on the interscapulars and breast. L., 22-00 ; W., 16-00 ; B. from N., 1-25. Range. — Southern Florida and Mexican border of the United States south to the Amazon. Nest.^ in a cabbage palmetto or on the tops of dense bushes. Eggs., two to three, varying from cream-buff to rufous, heavily marked with shades of red- dish brown and chocolate, 2-35 x l-a5. Caracaras frequently associate with Vultures and feed on carrion, but they also capture their own food. This consists largely of frogs, lizards, and small snakes, which the birds find while walking about on the ground in search of them. Their flight is strong, rapid, and direct, and bears no resemblance to that of a Vulture's. 364. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis {Gmel.). America:n^ Os- prey; Fish Hawk. Ad. 6 . — Upper parts fuscous, the head and nape varied with white ; tail with six to eight obscure bands, more distinct on the inner web ; under parts white, breast sometimes slightly spotted with grayish brown. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but the breast always spotted with grayish brown. L., 23-10 ; W., 18-25; T., 8-40. Bange. — North America ; breeds from Florida to Labrador : winters from South Carolina to northern South America. "Washington, uncommon S. R., Mch. 25 to Oct. Sing Sing, common T. V., rare S. K., Apl. 3 to May 20 ; Sept. 29 to Oct. 20. Cambridge, common T. V., Apl. ; Sept. Nest, generally in a tree, thirty to fifty feet from the ground, rarely on the ground. Eggs., two to four, extremely variable, sometimes dull white, un- marked, sometimes almost solid chocolate, but generally butfy white, heavily marked with chocolate, chieliy at the larger end, 2-45 x 1-80. This species lives in colonies, and also in pairs, along oar coasts, re- turning year after year to the same nesting ground. Its food consists solely of fish, which as a rule it captures alive. Winging its w^ay slowly over the water, it keeps a keen watch for fish which may appear near the surface. When one is observed it pauses, hovers a moment, and then closing its wings descends with a speed and directness of aim that generally insure success. It strikes the water with great force, making a loud splash, and frequently disappears for a moment before rising with its prey grasped in its powerful talons. As a rule, it carries its food to some favorite perch, there to devour it. It is said that Fish Hawks have been known to strike fish so large that, unable to release their hold, they were drawn under water and drowned. When protected, Fish Hawks, like many other birds, to a large de- gree lose their fear of man. In The Auk, for October, 1892, will be found a valuable article by Dr. C. S. Allen, on the habits of this species as observed by him on Plum Island, N. Y., where for forty years the birds had been protected by the owner of the island. OWLS. 213 The note of the Fish Hawk is a high, rapidly repeated, plaintive whistle. Family Strigid^. Barn Owls. The Barn Owls, numbering some eight or ten species, are found nearly throughout the temperate and tropical regions. They differ from other Owls in structure, but share with them the characteristic liabits of the suborder Striges. 365. Strix pratincola Bonap. American Barn Owl; Monkey- faced Owl. (^See Fig. 30.) Ad. — Upper parts mixed gray and ochraceous- buff, tinely speckled with black and white ; tail varying from white to ochra- ceous-butl', generally mottled with black, and sometimes with three or four narrow black bars ; under parts and facial disk varying from pure white to deep ochraceous-butf, the former generally with numerous small, black, round •spots, the facial disk narrowly margined by ochraceous-buff or rufous ; eyes black. L., 18-00 ; W., 13-25 ; T., 5-50 ; B., 1-30. Range. — North America ; occasionally found as far north as Massachu- setts, and breeds from Long Island southward, through Mexico. Washington, not rare P. K. Sing Sing, A. V. iN'e*'^, in a tower or steeple, a hole in a tree or bank. Eggs., live to nine, 1-72 X 1-30. The Barn Owl conceals itself so well during the day that, in my experience, it is a difficult bird to observe, even in localities where it is common. For this reason the capture of one of these odd-visaged birds is frequently the cause of much excitement over the supposed discovery of an animal entirely new to science, and which, by the local press, is generally considered half bird, half monkey ! The only notes I have ever heard from the Barn Owl are a sudden wild, startling scream, a high, rapidly repeated cr-r-ree, cr-r-ree, cr-r-ree, and, in captive birds, a hissing sound ; but Captain Bendire mentions "a feeble, querulous note like qiidek-qudek, or aelc-aek, sounding somewhat like the call of the Night Hawk {Chordeiles vir- ginianus), frequently repeated, only not so loud." " Of 29 stomachs examined, 1 contained poultry ; 3, other birds ; 17, mice; 17, other mammals; 4, insects; and 7 were empty" (Fisher). Family Bubonid^. Horned Owls, Hoot Owls, etc. Owls are found in all parts of the world. About two hundred spe- cies are known, of which some twenty inhabit North America. With few exceptions Owls are woodland birds, but Some species live in grassy marshes or dry plains, while others make their home in towers, steeples, or outbuildings. Owls are nocturnal birds of prey, and for 214 OWLS. this reason feed more largely on small mammals — most of which are nocturnal — than the diurnal birds of prey. They are therefore of even greater value to the agriculturist than Hawks. Their prey is captured with their talons, and, unless too large, is swallowed entire. The bones and hair are afterward ejected at the mouth in matted pellets. Owls' eyes are so fixed in their sockets that they can not loolc from one point to another by simply "Tolling " the eyeball, but are obliged to turn their head. The weird, almost human, voices of Owls add not a little to the superstitious fear with which they are frequently re- garded. The eggs of Owls are uniformly white, unmarked. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing over 10-00. A. Belly without bars, striped longitudinally. a. Upper parts with cross-bars. aK Toes feathered 368. Barred Owl. a'". Toes bare 368a. Florida Barred Owl. b. Upper parts striped longitudinally .... 367. Short-eared Owl. £. Belly with cross-bars. a. With conspicuous horns or ears. fli. Wing over 13-00 375. Great Horned Owl and races. rfl. Wing under 13-00 . . ' 366. Am. Long-eared Owl. b. Without horns or ears. Ji. Plumage white, more or less barred with black. 376. Snowy Owl. b^. Plumage fuscous, mottled and barred with whitish. 370. Great Gray Owl. II. Wing under 10-00. A. Toes heavily feathered. a. Wing more than 6-00. fli. Tail more than 6-00 377a. Am. Hawk Owl. «2. Tail less than 6-00 371. Richardson's Owl. b. Wing less than 6-00 372. Saw- whet Owl. J5. Toes thinly, if at all, feathered. a. Tarsi heavily feathered ; with conspicuous horns. 373. Screech Owl. 373a. Florida Screech Owl. b. Tarsi partly bare ; no horns . . . 378a. Florida Burrowing Owl. 386. Asio -wilsonianus (Less.). American Long-eared Owl. Ad. —Ear-tufts conspicuous, an inch or more in length, black bordered by white and huffy ; upper parts fuscous-brown mottled with white, tlie bases of the feathers ochraceous-buff"; tail with six to eight fuscous cross-bars; facial disk buify bordered by blacj? ; under parts mixed white and ochraceous-buff, the breast broadly streaked, the sides and belly irregularly barred with fuscous; eyes yellow. L., 14-80-, W., 11-90; T., 6-00; B., 1-06. Range. — North America; breeds from JS'ova Scotia and Manitoba south- ward to the Gulf States. OWLS. 215 Washington, common 1*. R, Sing Sing, common P. R. Cambridge, not common P. R. Nest^ generally in an old Crow's, Hawk's, or Squirrel's nest, i^ggs, three to six, 1-65 X 1-30. " This species, like the Screech Owl, is nocturnal in its habits, and differs from the Short-eared Owl in never hunting during the day- time. It usually spends the day in some evergreen woods, tliick wil- low copse, or alder swamp, although rarely it may be found in open places. ... " The bird is not wild, and will allow itself to be closely approached. When conscious that its presence is recognized, it sits upright, draws the feathers close to the body, and erects the ear-tufts, resembling in appearance a piece of weather-beaten bark more than a bird. . . . '• Like the other Owls, its flight is slow and wavering, but in com- mon with them it is buoyant and devoid of any appearance of heavi- ness. The note of this Owl is said by some to resemble the noise made by kittens, while others state it is like the barking of small dogs. " Of 107 stomachs examined, 1 contained a game bird ; 15, other birds; 84, mice; 5, other mammals; 1, insects; and 15 were empty" (Fisher). 367. Asio accipitrinus {Pall.). Short-eared Owl. Ad. — Ear-tufts very short, ditRcult to distinguish in a dried skin ; upper parts fuscous, the feathers margined with cream-buff or ochraceous-buff, not mottled with white ; tail with ochraceous-buff and fuscous bands of about equal width ; under parts varying from whitish to ochraceous-buff, the breast broadly and the belly more finely streaked with fuscous : eyes yellow. L., 15-50 ; W., 12-75 ; T., 6-05; B., 1-20. Range. — Nearly cosmopolitan, breeding in the United States locally from Virginia northward. Washmgton, common W. V. Sing Sing, casual. Cambridge, uncommon T. v., Apl. ; Oct. and Nov. Nest., on the ground, in grassy marshes. Eggs., four to seven, 1-60 x 1-25. This species might well be named Marsh Owl, for, unlike most of our Owls, it does not frequent the woods, but lives in grassy marshes. It is not shy and does not take wing until almost stepped upon, when it arises noiselessly and flies low over the marsh. Sometimes it alights on a knoll or slight elevation and watches the intruder in the intent, half-human manner of Owls. During the migrations and in the winter this bird is occasionally found in flocks or colonies containing one or two hundred individuals. "Of 101 stomachs examined, 11 contained small birds; 77, mice; 7, other mammals ; 7, insects ; and 14 were empty " (Fisher). 368. Syrniumnebulosuni(/o/-^2;.). Barred Owl; Hoot Owl. (See Fig. 31.; Ad.—^o ear-tufts; upper parts grayish broAvn, each feather with 216 OWLS. two or three white or buffy white bars; tail with six to eight similar bars; facial disk gray, finely barred or mottled with fuscous ; under parts white, more or less tinged with bufty, the breast barred^ the sides and belly broadly streaked with fuscous; bill yellow ; legs and feet feathered to or near the bases of the nails; eyes brownish black. L., 20-00; W., 13-50; T., 9-50; B., 1-50. ^a/*j/e.— Eastern North America, northward to IS ova Scotia and Manitoba ; resident, except at the northern limit of its range. Washington, not common P. K. Sing Sing, rare P. E. Cambridge, rare P. E., sometimes common in Nov. and Dec. Nent^ in a hollow tree ; sometimes in an old Crow's or Hawk's nest. Eggs^ two to four, 2-00 x 1-65. The deep-toned, questioning voice, the absence of "horns," and the dark-brown, nearly black eyes, combine to make Barred Owls appear among the most human of these strangely human birds. They inhabit large tracts of woodland, and are generally resident in certain localities. Their notes are uttered more or less throughout the year, but are more frequently heard during the nesting reason. As a rule they call only during the first part of the night and again before sunrise, but on moonlight nights they call throughout the night, and occasionally they may be heard during the day. They readily respond to an imi- tation of their cries, and even at midday 1 have drawn them from their nesting place to meet a supposed intruder on their domain. Un- der favorable circumstances they may be heard at a distance of at least half a mile. * Their usual call is a sonorous wh66-ivh66-wh66, ivJid-u'lioo, to-whoo- dJi. This is varied, both as to relative position and length of the syllables, by the same individuals, and is apparently the cry of ques- tion and response. When two birds, perhaps rival males, come to- gether, there ensues a striking medley of ivhd-whds mingled with roll- ing whdu-dks, the whole reminding one of deep-voiced, mirthless laughter. Sometimes two birds give a concerted performance. One utters about ten rapid hoots, while the other, in a slightly higher tone, hoots half as fast, both performers ending together with a whod-dk. At times they utter a single, prolonged ivhoo-dh, and more rarely a weird, gasping shriek emphasized at its conclusion like a cry of dis- tress. "Of 109 stomachs examined, 5 contained i-)Oultry or game; 13, other birds; 46, mice; 18, other mammals; 4, frogs; 1, a lizard; 2, fish; 14, insects; 2, spiders; 9, crawfish; and 20 were empty" (Fisher). 368a/. S. n. alleni A't'dgw. Florida Barred Owl. — Similar to the preceding, but averaging sonicwluit darker, and with the toes nearly naked. W., 12-50; T., 8-50. Range. — Florida, and region of the Gulf coast to Texas. OWLS. 217 370. Scotiaptex cinereum ( Gmel). Great Gray Owl. Ad.—^o ear-tufts, size very lar . — Upper parts bluish gray ; wings with small white spots, most of the feathers tipped with white, the inner web of the primaries white at the base ; tail-feathers with numerous spots and broken bands of wliite : a white spot before the eye; throat white, this color passing on to the sides of the neck and nearly meeting on the back of the neck ; a band across the breast, and WOODPECKERS. 227 the sides bluish gray — in immature specimens tinged with rufous — lower breast and belly white. Ad. 9 . — Similar to the male, but the sides and a band on the belly rufous. L., 13-02; \V., 6-17 ; T., 3-60 ; B., 2-00. Eange. — North America; breeds from Florida to Labrador, and winters from Virginia to South America. Washington, common P. K. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 1 to Nov. 23 ; casual in winter. Cambridge, common S. K., Apl. 10 to Oct. Ae'&^, in a hole in a bank, about sL\ feet from the entrance. J^ggs., five to eight, white, 1-34 x 1-05. The shores of wooded streams or ponds are the chosen haunts of the Kingfisher. Silently he perches on some limb overhanging the water, ever on the alert for food or foe. Paddle toward him as quietly as you please, just a,s you reach his danger line he drops from his perch and with loud, rattling call flies on ahead. This may be re- peated several times, until finally the limits of his wanderings are reached, when he makes a wide detour and returns to the starting point. The Kingfisher hunts after the manner of the Fish Hawk. In passing over the water it needs only the glint of a shining fin or scale just beneath the surface to catch his watchful eye. On quickly mov- ing wings he hovers over the place, waiting only a fair chance to plunge on the unsuspecting fish below. Emerging from the water with his prey in his bill, he shakes the spray from his plumage, and, with an exultant rattle, flies away to some favorite perch. ORDER PICI. WOODPECKERS, WRYNECKS, ETC. Family Picid^. Woodpeckers. Woodpeckers occur in all wooded parts of the world except in the Australian region and Madagascar. About three hundred and fifty species are known, of which nearly one half are confined to the New World. Some twenty-five of this number are found in North America. Woodpeckers are rather solitary birds, but are sometimes found associated in scattered companies during their migrations. Above all other birds they are especially adapted to creep or climb. The peculiar structure of the foot, with its two toes directed for- ward and two backward (except in one genus), assists them in cling- ing to an upright surface, while the pointed, stiffened tail-feathers serve as a prop when the bird is resting. The stout, chisel-like bill is used to cut away wood and expose the hiding places of grubs, etc., when the long, distensible tongue with its horny, spearlike tip is thrust in, the food impaled and drawn out. The vocal powers of Woodpeckers are limited, and the bill is also used to beat the long, rolling call which is their love-song. The eggs of Woodpeckers are 228 WOODPECKERS. uniformly white, and are placed in a hole, generally in a dead tree or limb, hollowed out by the bird. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. No red on the head or nape. A. Enth-e under parts black. a. Wing about lO'OO, bill ivory-white. 392, Ivory-billed Woodpecker 9 . £, Under parts white, witliout black sjjots or streaks. a. Wing under 4*00 ; outer tail-feathers barred with black. 394. Downy Woodpecker 9 . b. Wing over 4-00 ; outer tail-feathers white, without black bars. 393. Hairy Woodpecker 9 . 3936. Southern Hairy Woodpecker 9 . C. Under parts with black spots, bars, or streaks. a. Back entirely biack . . 400. Arctic Three-toed Woodpecker. b. Back black and white. Ji. Outer tail-feathers entirely white, crown yellow or spotted with white 401. Am. Three-toed Woodpecker. b^. Outer tail-feathers barred with black, no blaek patch on the breast, ear-coverts white . 395. Eed-cockaded Woodpecker 9 . &3. Outer tail-feathers black, with generally a harrow white margin; rump white 406. Red-headed Woodpecker 9 . b*. Outer tail-feathers black and white, a large black patch on the breast 402. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 9 . II. Whole top of the head red. A. Throat red. a. Primaries spotted with white, belly yellowish. 402. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker $ . b. Primaries black, rump and belly white. 406. Eed-headed Woodpecker $ . £. Throat white. a. Breast and belly black .... 405. Pileated Woodpecker $ . b. Breast black or blackish, sides streaked, belly yellowish Avhite. 402. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 9 . c. Under parts tinged with red, without streaks or spots. 409. Ked-bellied Woodpecker $ . [JI. Crown black, brown, or gray, a red band across the nape, a red crest on the back of the head, or small patches of red on either side of the nape. A. Under parts black, wing over 8-00. a. Bill ivory-white 392. Ivory-billed Woodpecker. 6 . b. Bill blackish 405. Pileated Woodpecker 9 . £. Under parts more or less spotted or streaked with black. a. A black patch on the breast, throat brown, rump white. 412. Flicker. b. Head black, ear-coverts white, a few red feathers on either side of the nape 395. Ked-cockaded Woodpecker 6 . Hairy Woodpecker. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. WOODPECKERS. • 229 C. Under parts white, or whitish without black streaks or spots. a. Crown gray, a reddisli tinge on the belly. 409. Eed-bellied "Woodpecker 9 . h. Crown black. Ji. Outer tail-feathers barred with black. 394:. Downy Woodpecker t . h^. Outer tail-feathers white .... 393. Hairy Woodpecker 5 . 393A. Southern Hairy Woodpecker ^ . 392. Campephilus principalis {Linn.). Ivory-billed Wood- pecker. Ad. (5 . — Upper parts shining black, a large scarlet crest ; a Avhite stripe begins below the eye and, passing down the side of the neck, meets its fellow in the middle of the back ; ends of the inner primaries and the end half or two thirds of the secondaries white ; outer tail-feathers very short, the central ones elongated and much stiffened ; bristles over the nostrils white ; bill ivory-white ; under parts shining black. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but with the crest black. L., 20-00 ; W., 10-00 ; T., G-50 ; B., 2-75. Range. — " Formerly South Atlantic and Gulf States, from Xorth Carolina to Texas ; north in the Mississippi Valley to Missouri, southern Illinois, and fsouthern Indiana. Now restricted to the Gulf States and the lower Mississipj)i Valley, where only locally distributed" (A. O. U.). (See Hasbrouck, Auk, viii, 1891, pp. 174-186, with map.) aVesi?, in the higher part of a tree. Eggs.^ "1-31 x -80" (Ridgw.). (See also Maurice Thompson's A Eed-headed Family.) The home of this magnificent Woodpecker is in the almost limit- less cypress forests of our southern coasts and river valleys. Even there it is common in but few localities. In Florida it is found chiefly in the western part of the peninsula, and doubtless occurs in greatest numbers in the region between the Suwanee River and the Gulf. The Ivory-bill is a wild, shy bird. It does not remain long in one place, and during the day ranges over an extended territory. Its call is a high, rather nasal, yap, yap-yap, sounding in the distance like tho note of a penny trumpet. 393. Dryobates villosus (Linn.). Hairy Woodpecker. (See Fig. 37, a.) Ad. 6.— Upper parts black; a scarlet band on the nape; middle of the back white ; wing-feathers and their coverts spotted with white ; middle tail-feathers black, the outer ones white ; a white stripe above and another below the eye; under parts white. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but without scarlet on the back of the neck. L., 9-40 ; W., 4-78 ; T., 3-30 ; B., 1-22. Range. — Eastern United States, from the northern border south to North Carolina. Washington, rare P. E. Sinir Sing, rare P. R. Cambridge, uncommon W. V. j^est, generally in a dead tree. Eggs, four to six, -95 x -75. This species resembles the Downy Woodpecker in habits, but is less frequently observed out of the vroods. Its notes arc noticeably louder 230 WOODPECKERS. than the Downy's, and when one is familiar with both there is no diffi- culty in distinguishing the two by their voices. In speaking of the difference which exists between the rolling tattoo of some Woodpeckers Mr. Brewster says : " Thus, P. puhescens has a long, unbroken roll, P. villosus a shorter and louder one with a greater interval between each stroke ; while S. varius, commencing with a short roll, ends very emphatically with five or six distinct disconnected taps. In this latter species I am convinced it is literally a call of recognition, as I have repeatedly seen the bird, after producing it, listen a moment when it would be answered from a distance, and its mate would shortly appear and join it " (Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist., xi, 1875, p. 144). 393b. D. V. audubonii (Stvains.). Southern Hairy Woodpecker. — Si}nilar to the preceding, but smaller, and with somewhat less white in the plumage. L., 8-10 ; W., 4-50 ; T., 2-80 ; B., 1-15. Range. — South Atlantic and Gulf States north to South Carolina. This is simply a small southern race of the preceding species. It resembles the northern form in habits, but is much more common, be- ing nearly as numerous as the Downy Woodpecker. In the northwestern United States and adjoining British provinces the Hairy Woodpecker reaches its maximum size, and is known as the Northern Hairy Woodpecker (Z). v, leucomelas), a form which may occur within our limits. 394. Dryobates pubescens (Linn.). Downy Woodpecker. Ad. 5 . — Upper parts black, a scarlet band on the nape ; middle of tlie back white ; wing-feathers and their coverts spotted with white ; middle tail- feathers black, the outer ones white, tarred witTi black ; a white stripe above and another below the eye ; under parts white. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but with- out scarlet on the nape. L., 6-83 ; W., 3-70 ; T., 2-53 ; B., -68. Remarks. — The Downy and Hairy "Woodpeckers differ in coloration only in the markings of the outer tail-feathers, Avhich are white, barred with black in the former, and white without bars in the latter; the difference in size be- tween the two, however, is always diagnostic. Range. — Eastern North America, from Labrador to Florida ; resident throughout its range. Washington, common P. E. Sing Sing, common P. K. Cambridge, com- mon P. E. Kest, generally in a dead tree. Rggs^ four to six, -75 x -60. Woodland, orchards, and the shade trees of lawns are alike fre- quented by this, the smallest and most familiar of our Woodpeckers. Sometimes he tells of his presence by an industrious tap, tap — tapping as he patiently digs out the grubs and larvje which form his bill of fare. Again he hails us with a businesslike ]:>ee1x\ peek — a note closely resembling the sound produced by a marble quarrier's chisel, and which WOODPECKERS. 231 Sometimes is prolonged into a rattling call. Like other Woodpeckers, in tne spring he beats a rolling tattoo on a resonant limb, sounding a reveille which is a credit to so small a drummer. The Downy is a sociable Woodpecker, and when the gay summer visitors have returned to their southern homes and the wind whistles drearily through the leafless trees, he joins the Chickadees and Nut- hatches, and during the winter they are inseparable companions. Per- haps they share with him the snug quarters in some old trunk which he has hollowed out for a winter home. 395. Dryobates borealis ( Vieill.). Eed-cockaded Woodpecker. Ad. 6 .—Crown black, a small tuft of scarltt feathers on either side of the hack of the head ; back barred with black and white ; wings spotted with black and white ; middle tail-feathei-s black, outer ones with broken black bars ; ear region white, separated from the white throat by a black stripe running from the bill to the shoulder ; sides and under tail-coverts spotted and streaked with black ; rest of the under parts white. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but without scarlet on the head. L., 8-40; W., 4-65 ; T., 3-10 : B., -80. Range. — Southern United States, westward to Indian Territory, and north- ward to Tennessee and Virginia. Nest.^ in the higher part of a pine tree. Eggs., four to six, -91 x -68. This species is a common inhabitant of the " piny woods." It pre- fers the higher branches of the trees, and frequently hangs head down- ward while feeding on a cone at the extremity of a branch. Its call- note suggests the yank, yank, of the White-bellied Nuthatch, but is louder, hoarser, and not so distinctly enunciated. 400. Picoides arcticus (Swains.). Arctic Three-toed Wood- pecker. (See Fig. 37, i.) Ad. $. — Toes three, two in front; middle of the crown with a bright orange-yellow patch ; rest of the upper parts shining black; Vv'ing-feathcrs spotted with white; middle tail-feathers black, outer ones white, except at the base ; a white line from the nostril passes below the eye; sides barred with black and white; rest of the under parts white. Ad. 9. — Similar, but without orange-yellow on the crown. L., 9-50; W., 5-10; T., 3-40 ; B. from N., -98. Range. — Northern North America, south to the northern United States. iV^es^, within ten feet of the ground. Eggs, four to six, 1-05 x -78. "It is a restless, active bird, spending its time generally on the topmost branches of the tallest trees, without, however, confining itself to pines. Although it can not be called shy, its habitual restlessness renders it difficult of approach. Its movements resemble those of the Ked-cockaded W^oodpecker, but it is still more petulant than that bird. ... Its cries also somewhat resemble those of the species above mentioned, but are louder and more shrill, like those of some small quadruped suffering great pain. . . . "Its flight is rapid, gliding, and deeply undulating. . . . Now and 232 WOODPECKERS. then it will fly from a detached tree of a field to a considerable dis- tance before it alights, emitting at every glide a loud, shrill note " (Audubon). 401. Ficoides americanus BreJim. American Three-toed Wood- pecker. Ad. 6 . — ToL's tJiix-e, two in front ; head spotted with white and with an orange-yellow patch on the crown; back larred ivitk black and wJdte ; wing-feathers spotted with black and white; middle tail-feathers black, outer ones black and white ; region below the eye mixed black and white ; sides more or less barred with black and white; rest of the under parts white. Ad. 9 .—Similar, but crown spotted with black and white, and with- out yellow. L., 8-75 ; W., 4-55 ; T., 3-10 ; B. from N., -95. ^rt«^e.— Northern North America, south to the northern United States. Nest, in the lower part of a tree. Eggs, white, -92 x -70 (Merriam, Bull. Nutt. Oru. Club., iii, 1878, p. 200j. " It is said to greatly resemble P. viUosus in habits, except that it seeks its food principally upon decaying trees of the pine tribe, in which it frequently makes holes large enough to bury itself. It is not migratory'" (B., B., and K). 402* Sphyrapicus varius {Linn.). Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Ad. $ .—Crown deep scarlet, back irregularly barred with black and yellow- ish white; wing-feathers spotted with white, their coverts mostly white; tail black, the middle feathers with broken black bars, the outer ones with white margins ; a white line from the bill passes below the eye; throat car- dinal ; breast black ; sides streaked with black ; belly pale yellow. Ad. 9 .— Similar, but throat wiiite; crown sometimes black; outer tail-feathers with broken w'hite bars. Im. — Similar to ads., but with the crown dull blackish, the breast brownish gray barred with black, the throat whitish. L., 8-56 ; W., 4-87; T., 3-20; B., 92. Range. — Eastern North America ; breeds from Massachusetts northward, and winters from Virginia to Central America. Washington, common T. V., Mch. and Apl. ; Oct., occasional in winter. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 5 to May 13; Sept. 18 to Oct. 23; casual in winter. Cambridge, not uncommon T. V., Apl. and Oct. Nest., about forty feet from the ground. Eggs., five to seven, -87 x -67. As migrants, Sapsuckers are rather inconspicuous. They frequent living trees, where they are concealed by the foliage and their weak call-note is not likely to attract attention. On reaching their summer homes in the spring their character changes, and Dr. Merriam speaks of them as "noisy, rollicking fel- lows ; they are always chasing one another among the trees, screaming meanwhile at the tops of their voices" (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iv, 1879, p. 2). Mr. Brewster describes the note of the adults at this season as " a clear, ringing cUur, repeated five or six times in succession " ; while young and old utter " a low, snarling cry that bears no very dis- WOODPECKERS. 233 tant resemblance to the mew of the Catbird " (Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, i, 1876, p. 69). The Sapsucker feeds largely on the juices of trees, which it obtains by perforating the bark. (See BoUes, Auk. viii, 1891, p. 256; ix, 1892, p. 110.) 405. Ceophloeus pileatus(Zm7i.). Pileated "Woodpecker. Ad. i . — Upper parts blackish fuscous; whole top of the head ticarlet, the feathers ilengthened to form a crest ; a narrow white stripe bordering this crest sepa- rates it from the fuscous ear-coverts ; a stripe beginning at the nostril and passing down the sides of the neck to the shoulders is tinged with yellow before the eye and is white back of the eye ; it is separated from the white throat by a scarlet stripe at the base of the low^er mandible ; basal half of the wing-feathers white; under parts fuscous, the feathers sometimes lightly margined with white ; bill horn-color. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but without red on the fore part of the crown or at the base of the lower mandible. L., 17'00 ; W., 8-90; T., 6-20; B., 1-85. Range. — "^ Formerly whole wooded region of North America ; now rare or extirpated in the more thickly settled parts of the Eastern States." • Washington, rare P. K. yest., twenty-five to eighty feet from the ground. Eggs., four to six, 1*30 X -94. This species is common only in the wilder parts of its range. In the hummocks and cypress swamps of Florida it occurs in numbers. There, contrary to the experience of Audubon, I found it by no means a wild bird. Indeed, Flickers were more difficult to approach. On the Suwanee River, in March, I have called these birds to me by sim- ply clapping my slightly closed palms, making a sound in imitation of their tapping on a resonant limb. The flight of this species is rather slow, but usually direct, not undulating, as in most Woodpeckers. When under way the white markings of the wings show conspicuously. Their usnal call-note is a sonorous cow-cow-cow., repeated rather slowly many times, suggesting a somewhat similar call of the Flicker's. Like the Flicker, they have also a wiclicw note uttered when two birds come together. 406. MelanerpeserythrocephalusfZ?«».). Red-headed Wood- pecker. Ad. — Head, neck, throat, and upper breast deep red ; upper back, primaries, bases of the secondaries, and wing-coverts bluish black; end half of the secondaries, rump, and upper tail-coverts white; tail black, the feath- ers more or less tipped or margined with white; lower breast and belly Avhite, the middle of the latter generally tinged with reddish. Im. — Red head and • neck of the adult replaced by niixcd grayish brown and fuscous; upper back bluish black, barred with ashy; primaries and wing-coverts black; end half of the secondaries irregularly barred with black ; tail black, generally tipped with white ; lower breast and belly white, more or less streaked or spotted with fuscous. L., 9-75; W., 5-52; T., 3-30; B., 1-17. 234 WOODPECKERS. 7?a??^e.— Eastern North America; breeds from Florida to northern New York and Manitoba; winters from Virginia, and occasionally from northern New York southward. Washington, rather common S. K., rare W. V. Sing Sing, rare P. K., common in fall, Aug. 27 to Oct. 12. Cambridge, irregular at all seasons; sometimes common in fall. JS^est^ generally in a dead tree. Eggs^ four to six, 1-00 x -75. Give a bird an abundance of its favorite food, and its movements no longer seem to be governed by the calendar. Red-headed Wood-' peckers were supposed to migrate southward in the fall and pass the winter south of Maryland until Dr. Merriam, in his interesting ac- count * of the habits of this species, told us that in Lewis County, northern New York, their abundance in winter was in no way affected by the severity of the weather, but was entirely dependent upon the success of the crop of beechnuts which constitute their food. Indeed, few birds seem better able to adapt themselves to their surroundings. They change their fare and habits with the season, and to the accomplishments of Woodpeckers add those of Flycatchers and fruit-eaters. We should expect, therefore, to find them very gen- erally distributed, but in the Northern States they show an evident choice for certain localities, and may be wanting over wide stretches of intervening territory. They are noisy, active birds, and their loud, rolling, tree-toadlike call, ker-r-ruck, ker-r-ruck, and bright colors combine to render them conspicuous. When on the wing the white secondaries of both adult and immature birds make a striking field mark. 409. Melanerpes carolinus (Linn.). Red-bellied Woodpecker. Ad. $. — Whole top of the head and back of the neck bright scarlet; back regularly barred with black and white ; primaries black at the end, white, irregularly barred with black, at the base ; secondaries black, regularly spotted and barred with white ; upper tail-coverts white, with streaks or arrowheads of black ; outer tail-feathers and inner vanes of the middle ones irregularly marked with broken black and white bars ; cheeks and under parts dull ashy white, the region about the base of the bill, the middle of the belly, and some- times the breast more or less tinged with red. Ad. 5 . — Similar, but with the crown grayish ashy, the scarlet confined to the nape and nostrils. Im. — Simi- lar, but with the belly sometimes tinged with butfy instead of red. L., 9*50; W., 5-00 ; T., 3-40 ; B.. 1-10. Kange.—En^tQrn United States, breeding from Florida to Maryland, and in the interior to Ontario and southern Dakota; occasionally strays to Massa- chusetts ; winters from Virginia and southern Ohio southward. Washington, locally coumion P. K. Cambridge, A. V., one record. Ntst, in trees, about twenty feet from the ground. Eggs., four to six, 1-05 X -75. * Bull. Nutt. Orn. Club, iil, 1878, pp. 123-128. WOODPECKERS. 235 This is a common bird in our Southern States. It inhabits alike coniferous and deciduous growths, but prefers the latter. It ascends a tree in a curious, jerky fashion, accompanying each upward move by a hoarse chuh-chuh. -412. Colaptes auratus {Linn.). Flicker; High-hole; Clape; Yellow-hammer; Golden-winged Woodpecker. Ad. 6. — Top of the head ashy gray, a bright scarlet band across the back of the neck ; back, wing- coverts, and exposed part of secondaries brownish gray, barred with black ; rump white ; primaries black externally, the inner surface of the wing and the sliafts of the feathers yellow ; upper tail-coverts barred or streaked with black and white ; tail black above, yellow tipped with black below, the outer edges of the feathers slightly margined or barred with white ; sides of the head, throat, and upper breast vinaceous ; a broad black stripe on either side of the throat from the base of the bill, and a broad black crescent across the breast ; rest of the under parts white, more or less tinged with vinaceous, and thickly spotted with black. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but without the black streaks on the side of the throat. L., 12-00 ; W., 6-00 ; T., 4-00 ; B., 1-40. Kemarhs. — Exceptional specimens have a few red feathers in the throat stripes. A male from Louisiana has this mark entirely red and the head gray- ish brown, while anotlier specimen from Toronto has half the tail orange-red. These unusual markings are supposed to be due to hybridization of our Flicker with the western or Red-shafted Flicker, which resembles the eastern species in pattern of coloration, but has the crown brownish gray or grayish brown, the throat stripes scarlet, the throat and breast gray, the under surface of wings and tail dull red, and lacks the red nuchal band. (See an important paper on the relationships of these birds by Dr. J. A. Allen, in the Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., iv, 1892, pp. 21-44). Range. — North America, west to the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains and Alaska ; breeds throughout its range, and winters from Illinois and Massa- chusetts southward. Washington, common S. R., rare W. V. Sing Sing, common S. R., Mch. 25 to Oct. 30 ; a few winter. Cambridge, very common S. R., common W. V. Kest., in trees, about ten feet from the ground, frequently in orchards. Eggs., five to nine, 1-10 x -86. The habits, notes, and colors of this well-known bird are reflected in the popular names which have been applied to it throughout its wide range. No less than thirty-six of these aliases have been re- corded, and many have doubtless escaped the compiler. The Flicker is a bird of character. Although a Woodpecker, he is too original to follow in the footsteps of others of his tribe. They do not frequent the ground, but that is no reason why he should not humor his own terrestrial propensities, and we may therefore fre- quently flush him from the earth, when, with a low chuckle, he goes bounding off through the air, his white rump showing conspicuously as he flies. 236 NIGHTHAWKS, WHIP-POOR-WILLS, ETC. The Flicker, like other Woodpeckers, beats a rolling tattoo in the spring, but his vocal song proper is a rapidly-repeated, mellow cuh- cuh-cuh-cuh-cuh, etc., as springlike a sound as the peeping of frogs. His usual note is a vigorous, nasal kee-yer. It recalls frosty fall morn- ings when the High-holes are gathering to feed on the woodbine and pepperidge berries. Approaching their feeding grounds, one may hear the ''Flicker" note. It can be closely imitated by the swishing of a willow wand: weechew, weechew, weechew. I never remember hearing a bird utter this note when alone. It is accompanied by the oddest gestures, as with tails stiffly spread the birds bob and bow to each other. ORDER MACROCHIRES. GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS, ETC. Family Caprimulgid^. Nighthawks, Whip-poor-wills, ETC. Goatsuckers are found in most parts of the world, but are more numerously represented in the tropics. Some eighty-five species are known, of which about one half are American, though only seven reach North America. Most of the American species are forest-inhab- iting, passing the day upon the leaves or perched lengthwise upon the branches of trees, where their dull, blended colors harmonize with their surroundings. The Nighthawks, however, are equally at home in treeless countries. Nighthawks feed high in the air, like Swifts, while other species frequent the borders of forests or clearings, where they feed nearer the ground. All the species capture their food of insects on the wing, their enormous mouths and the long, stiffened bristles, which in some species beset its base, especially adapting them to this mode of feeding. Many of the species are possessed of remark- able vocal powers, and their cries are among the most striking of bird notes. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. A white spot in the wing. 420. Nighthawk. 420c. Florida Nighthawk. B. Iso white spot in the wing; primaries spotted with rufous. a. Wing under 7"50 417. Whip-poor-will. b. Wing over 7*50 416. Chuck-will's-widow. 416. Antrostomus carolinensis (Gmel.). Chuck-will's-widow. Ad. 3 . — Upper parts streaked with black and finely mottled with ochraceous- bulfand black; primaries black, with broken rufous bars; tail mottled with black and ochraceous-buft', the end half of all but the two middle feathers white, more or less washed with butty on the inner vane ; under parts mot- NIGHTHAWKS, WKIP-POOR- WILLS, ETC. 237 tied with black, ochraceous, and cream-buft"; an imperfect whitish band across the upper breast ; base of the bill beset with long, stitfened bristles, the basal half of these bristles grown with hairlike branches. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but with no white patches in the tail, the upper breast with an ochraceous- butf instead of wliite band. L., 12-00 ; W., 8-50 ; T., G-00 ; B., -40. Range. — Eastern United States; breeds from North Carolina and Illinois southward; winters from our southern borders southward; accidental in Massachusetts. Cambridge, A. V., one record, Dec. Eggs^ two, laid on the ground or leaves, in woods or thickets, dull white, with delicate, obscure pale lilac markings, and a few distinct brownish-gray spots, 1-40 X -98. Generally speaking, this species resembles the Whip-jjoor-will in habits. Its notes are quite similar to those of that species, but are louder, less rapidly uttered, and each call has an additional syllable. Its gape is enormous, the wide-open mouth of an adult measuring about two inches from corner to corner. For this reason it can swal- low large objects with ease, and both Hummingbirds and Sparrows have been found in Chuck-wilTs-widow's stomach. Perhaps they were mistaken for large moths. 417. Antrostomus vociferus ( Wils.). Whip-poor-will. Ad. $,. — Upper parts streaked with black, the head finely mottled with black and white, the back mottled with ochraceous-bufi and black ; primaries black, with broken rufous bars ; tail irregularly barred with black and mottled with whitish or cream-butf ; end half of thi-ee outer feathers white ; black on the outer vane of the outer feather extending farther doAvn than on the others ; throat and breast blackish, finely mottled with cream-bufi or ochraceous-buft'; a narrow white band across the upper breast; belly cream-buif, irregularly barred with blackish ; base of the bill beset with long, stiffened bristles, which are xoithout hairlike branches. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but three outer tail- feathers narrowly tipped with ochraceous-buft"; band on the throat cream- buff" instead of white. L., 9-75 ; W., 6-08 ; T., 4 65 ; B., -37. Range. — Eastern North America, north to New Brunswick and Manitoba ; winters from -Florida southward. Washington, common S. E., Apl. 15 to Oct. Sing Sing, common S. K., Apl. 19 to (Jet. 17. Cambridge, common S. K., Apl. 28 to Sept. 20. Fggs, two, laid on the ground or leaves, in woods or thickets ; dull white, with delicate, obscure lilac markings and a few distinct brownish gray spots, 1-18 X -84. In walking through rather densely grown woods I have sometimes been surprised by having a Whip-poor-will fly up from beneath my feet and disappear in the surrounding growth. I say surprised, be- cause the bird's flight is as noiseless as a moth's, and this unusual, ghostly silence is almost as startling as the tvhir of a Grouse. The Whip-poor-will's day begins when the sun goes down. Then 238 NIGIITHAWKS, WHIP-POOR-WILLS, ETC. he passes out into bushy fields near his home, and, flying low, catches his supper on the wing. Between courses he rests on some low perch, and gives utterance to the notes familiar to many who have never seen their author. Whip' -poor-iviW , whip' -poor-iviW he calls, rapidly and with unexpected snap and vigor. If one is quite near the singer, a preliminary chuck may be heard before each call. These notes are given for about two hours after sunset and for a short time before sunrise. It is a singular fact that, in spite of the marked difference in their habits and notes, the Nighthawk and Whip-poor-will are frequently considered to be the same species. It is not the only case, however, where the notes of some species difficult of observation have been attributed to a species whose habits render it conspicuous. 430. Chordeiles virginianus {Gmel.). Nighthawk; Bull-bat. (See Fig. 38.) Ad. $, . — Upper parts bhick, irregularly marked with whitish, cream-butt, or ochraceous-butt'; primaries fuscous, crossed in the middle by a conspicuous white bar which rarely reaches the outer vane of the first pri- mary; tail fuscous or black, jvith broken bars of cream-bufl and a white band near the end on all but the middle feathers ; throat with a broad white band; chin and upper breast black, the feathers tipped with ochraceous-butt, cream- buff", or white ; the rest of the under parts barred with black and white, some- times tinged with buff". Ad. ? .—Similar, but with no white on the tail, throat-patch ochraceous-butt, under parts more or less washed with ochra- ceous-butt'. L., 10-00 ; W., 7-85 ; T., 4-60 ; B., -25. Bange. — Eastern North America; breeds from the Gulf States to Labra- dor ; winters in South America. Washington, not common S. K. ; abundant T. V., Apl. 20 to Oct. Sing Sing, common S. E., May 9 to Oct. 11. Cambridge, not uncommon S. E., May 15 to Sept. 25. Eggs.^ two, laid on the bare ground or a ttat rock in open fields, rarely on the roof of a house, dull white, evenly marked with small, irregularly shaped blotches or fine specklings of grayish brown or brownish gray, 1*20 x -86. In wooded regions the Nighthawk passes the day perched length- wise on a limb, but on the plains he roosts upon the ground, where his colors harmonize with his surroundings. Soon after sunset he mounts high in the air to course for insects. Batlike he flies erratically about, and at more or less regular intervals utters a loud nasal peent, this call being followed by two or three un- usually quick, flitting wing-beats. Long after the light has faded from the western horizon we may hear this voice from the starlit heavens, for the Nighthawk is one of our few truly nocturnal birds. Occasionally the peents are given more rapidly, and after calling several times in close succession the bird on half-closed wings dives earthward with such speed that one fears for his safety; but just SWIFTS. 239 before the ground is reached he checks his rapid descent by an abrupt turn, and on leisurely wing again mounts upward to repeat this game of sky-coasting. At the moment the turn is made one may hear a rushing, booming sound, which, as writers have remarked, can be imi- tated in tone by blowing across the bung-hole of any empty barrel. It is made by the passage of the air through the bird's primaries. In late summer Nighthawks gather in large flocks and begin their southward migrations. When flying the white mark on their primaries is a conspicuous character, and has the appearance of being a hole in the bird's wing. 420b. C. V. chapmani (Coues). Florida Nighthawk; Bull-bat. — Similar to the preceding, but smaller, and with the white and cream-bulf markings of the upper parts more numerous. L., 8-60 ; W., 7*10 ; T., 4'10. Range. — Breeds in Florida and westward on the Gulf coast ; south in win- ter to South America. The Westekx ]S«ighthawk (420a. C. v. henrf/i), a near relative of our spe- cies, has been recorded from Waukegan, 111. Family Micropodid^. Swifts. The seventy-five known species of Swifts are distributed through- out the greater part of the world. About one half this number are American, but only four are found in North America. Swifts are generally found associated in scattered companies, and when roosting or nesting are eminently gregarious. Hollow trees and caves are their natural retreats, but in some parts of the world chimneys are now used exclusively. They feed entirely while flying, and with their unusually long wings and small, compactly feathered bodies possess unrivaled powers of flight. Swifts are popularly confused with Swallows, but the re- semblance is only superficial and exists chiefly in the similarity of their feeding habits, while the structural differences between the two are numerous and important. 423. Chaetura pela^ca (Linn.). Chimney Swift ; Chimney "Swallow." (See Fig. 39.; Ad. — Entire plumage fuscous, more grayish on the throat; a sooty black spot before the eye; sliafts of the tail-feathers ex- tending beyond the vanes. L., 5-43 ; W., 4*94 ; T., 1-90 ; B. from N., -15. Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from Florida to Labrador; win- ters in Central America. Washington, abundant S. E., Apl. 15 to Oct. 10. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 19 to Oct. 23. Cambridge, abundant S. R., Apl. 25 to Sept. 20. Nest., a bracketlike basket of dead twigs glued together with saliva ; at- tached to the wall of a chimney, generally about ten feet from the top, by 240 HUMMINGBIRDS. the gummy secretion of the bird's salivary glands. Eggs^ four to six, white, •80 X -50. It is unnecessary to give any aids to the identification of a bird as well known as the Chimney Swift, or, as it is more frequently called, " Chimney Swallow." It is not, however, a Swallow, but a Swift, and its structural relations are with the Hummingbirds and not with the Passerine Swallows. Few sights in the bird-world are more familiar than the bow-and- arrow-like forms of these rapidly flying birds silhoueted against the sky. They are most active early in the morning and late in the afternoon, when one may hear their rolling twitter as they course about overhead. Sometimes they sail with wings held aloft over their backs, and some- times, it is said, they use their wings alternately. It is a common thing to see a trio of birds flying together, but it has never been ascer- tained that the Chimney Swift is polygamous. In some localities Chimney Swifts congregate in large flocks, mak- ing their headquarters in a disused chimney which morning and even- ing they leave and return to in a body. In perching they cling to the side of the chimney, using the spine-pointed tails, as Woodpeckers do, for a support. The habit of frequenting chimneys is, of course, a recent one, and the substitution of this modern, artificial home for hollow trees, illustrates the readiness with which a bird may take ad- vantage of a favoring change in its environment. Family Trochilid^. Hummingbirds. Hummingbirds are found only in the New World. About five hundred species are known. They range from Alaska to Patagonia, but are most numerous in the Andean regions of Colombia and Ecua- dor. Seventeen species are found in the United States; only eight of these advance beyond our Mexican border States, and but one species occurs east of the Mississippi. Several species inhabit the depths of dark tropical forests, but as a rule they are found with the flowers which bloom in the clearings, or far overhead in the sunlight. They are not gregarious, but an abundance of food sometimes brings large numbers of them together, when the air becomes animated with their rapidly moving forms. The smaller species fly so swiftly that their wings are lost in hazy cir- cles, and it is difficult for the human eye to follow their course. The flight of the larger species is less insectlike, and each wing-beat can be detected. As a rule their voice is a weak squeak or excited chip- pering, but some of the tropical species have songs of decided charac- ter which they sing with much energy. Hummingbirds feed largely on insects, which they generally cap- HUMi^J INGBIKDS. 2il ture in flowers, but many species catch insects on the wing or pick them from beneath leaves. They also feed on the juices of flowers. All the species whose nesting habits are known lay two white eggs. Strangely enough, these beautiful little creatures are possessed of a most unfortunate disposition which frequently leads them to attack any bird they fancy is trespassing on their domain. They know no fear, and with equal courage rush at one of their kind or a passing Hawk. 428* Trochilus colubris {Linn.). Euby-throated Hummingbird. (See Fig. 40.) Ad. 6. — Upper parts bright, shining green ; wings and tail fuscous, with purplish reflections ; throat beautiful metallic ruby -red, bor- dered on the breast by whitish ; rest of the under parts dusky, washed with greenish on the sides. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but without ruby-red on the throat. Jm. — Similar to the female, but with tho upper parts more bronzy. L., 3-74 ; W., 1-54 ; T., 1-15 ; B., 67. Range. — Eastern Xorth America ; breeds from Florida to Labrador ; Avin- ters from southern Florida to Central America. Washington, common S. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. K., Apl. 30 to Oct. 3. Cambridge, uncommon S. R., May 12 to Sept. Kest., of plant down, covered externally with lichens and firmly wound with almost invisible plant fibers ; generally fifteen to twenty -five feet from the ground, saddled on a limb. £(jgs, two, white, "50 x -35. The Ruby-throat needs no song. Its beauty gives it distinction, and its wings make music. Its only note, so far as I know, is a squeak, expressive of distrust or excitement. It has no rival in eastern North America, and is to be confounded with nothing but sphinx (hum- mingbird) moths. One hears of " Hummingbirds " seen in the evening about flower beds. The mistake is not unnatural, and a correction is sometimes received with incredulity. The birds spend but a com- paratively small part of the time upon the wing. Whoever watches a female busy about her nest will see her constantly perching here and there in certain branches of the tree, preening her plumage and look- ing about her. The male, at the same season, forgetful, to all appear- ance, of his conjugal and parental duties, may be found at home day after day on a dead twig in some tall tree, where he sits so constantly as to make the observer wonder what he can be about, and when, if ever, he takes his food. Further investigation, however, will show that he makes frequent and regular rounds of favorite feeding places. A tall blueberry bush, for example, will be visited at short intervals as long as the observer has patience to stand beside it. The Hum- mingbird is curiously fearless. Sometimes one will probe a flower held in the hand, and when they fly into houses, as they pretty often do, they manifest but the smallest degree of suspicion, and will feed almost at once upon sugar held between the lips. The old bird feeds 17 242 FLYCATCHERS. the young by regurgitation — a friglitful-looking act — the food consist- ing largely of minute insects. Tlie young remain in the nest for some three weeks, and on leaving it are at once at home on the wing. Bradford Torrey. ORDER PASSERES. PERCHING BIRDS. Family Tyrannid^. Flycatchers. From the systematist's standpoint Flycatchers are songless Perch- ing Birds. It does not follow that they are voiceless, or even truly songless, but that, having the voice-organ or syrinx less highly devel- oped than other Passeres, they are possessed of comparatively limited vocal powers. This family is peculiar to America. The Old- World Flycatchers belong to the family Iluscicapidce and are true Oscines. Some three hundred and fifty species are known. They are most abun- dant in the tropics, where their services as insect-catchers are in great- est demand. About thirty-five species reach the United States. Flycatchers are found wherever there are trees. As a rule they are of sedentary and solitary disposition. Their manner of feeding is characteristic. From a favorable perch, hawklike, they await passing insects, and with an aim that rarely misses launch forth into the air ; there is a sharp, suggestive click of the broad bill, and, completing their aerial circle, they return to their perch and are again en garde. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Wing over 3-00. A. Tail black or blackish, sometimes tipped with white, a concealed orange- red crown patch. a. Under wing-coverts yellowish, no white tip on the tail. 445. Gray Kingbird. h. Under wing-coverts blackish, tail tipped with white . 444. Kingbird. B. Inner vane of tail-feathers pale rufous ; throat and breast grayish ; belly sulphur-yellow 452. Crested Flycatcher. C Tail fuscous, not tipped with white ; no crown patch. a. Entire bill black ; tail rarely more than -50 longer than wing ; tarsus decidedly longer than bill; under tail-coverts always pale, yellowish white . . . . • 456. Phcebe. b. Under mandible generally in whole or part pale brownish ; wing always more than -50 longer than tail ; tarsus about equal to bill ; some of under tail-coverts frequently with darker centers. b^. Wing over 3-50 ; sides and breast, except a narrow whitish line through its center, of the same color as the back. 459. Olive-sided Flycatcher. b^. Wing under 3-50 ; breast and sides washed with olive-gray. 461, Wood Pewee. FLYCATCHERS. 243 II. Wing under 3-00. ui. Upper parts between olive-brown and dark olive-green, but with an evident brownish tinge, or lower mandible hrownish. a. Wing over 2-60 ; lower mandible flesh-color or wfiitish ; under parts with only a very slight tinge of yellow . 46Ga. Traill's Flycatcher. h. Wing under 2-60 ; lower mandible rarely clear flesh-color; generally strongly tinged with brownish 467. Least Flycatcher. B. Upper parts olive-green without a brownish tinge; lower mandible straw-color. a. Fii-st primary about equal to fifth ; under parts white, slightly washed with yellowish on the breast and belly ; throat white. 465. Acadian Fly'catcher. h. First primary shorter than fifth ; under parts sulphur-yellow ; the throat and breast more or less washed with olive-green. 463. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. The Fork-tailed Fly'catcher {44^- Milvulus tyrannus)., a South Amer- ican species rarely found north of southern Mexico and the southern Lesser Antilles, has been recorded from Mississippi, Kentucky, and New Jersey. The Scissor-tailed Flycatcher {443- Milvulus forficatus) is found in the summer as far north as southern Kansas and western Louisiana. It has occuiTed accidentally near Hudson Bay, in Manitoba, Ontario, Connecticut, I^ew Jersey, Virginia, and Florida. It may be known by its long, deeply forked tail and scarlet sides. 444. Tyrannus tyrannus (Linn.). Kingbird, vie?.— Upper parts grayish slate-color, darker on the head and upper tail-coverts ; head with a concealed orange-red crest; tail black, tipped with white; under parts white, washed with grayish on the breast. Im. — Similar, but without the crown patch, and with the plumage more or less tinged with ochraceous-buflF. L., 8-51 ; W., 4-64 ; T., 3-5o ; B. from N., -55. Eange. — North America north to New Brunswick and Manitoba ; rare west of the Rocky Mountains ; winters in Central and South America. Washington, common S. K., Apl. 20 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. R., Apl. 29 to Sept. 10. Cambridge, abundant S. R., May 5 to Sept. 1. Kest.^ compact and symmetrical, of weed-stalks, grasses, .and moss lined with plant-down, fine grasses, and rootlets, generally at the extremity of a branch fifteen to twenty-five feet up. -Eggs., three to five, white, spotted with umber, 1-00 x -73. The Kingbird is most frequently seen on a fence or a dead twig on a tree, where leaves do not come in the way of his sight. He stands very upright, like a Hawk or an Owl, and, though as quiet as if he had nothing to do, he is keenly awake to every movement about him, and every few minutes he dashes into the air, seizes a passing insect, and returns to the spot from which he started. While his mate is sitting he usually establishes himself near the nesting tree, and spends hour after hour in this apparently monotonous way, varying it only to 24:4: FLYCATCHERS. relieve her by watching the nest, and thus give her an opportunity to seek food for herself. I never saw a Kingbird either assist in brooding or carry food to his mate, but his manners to her are most affection- ate, and he is untiring in his labors in the feeding of the young. This bird is accused of being quarrelsome and aggressive to other birds, and his scientific name means Tyrant Flycatcher, but in my study of his ways I have found him less aggressive than are most birds in the neighborhood of their nest. With the exception of the Crow, against whom he seems to have a special grudge, I have never seen a Kingbird take notice of any bird unless he alighted near his nest, and the meekest creature that wears feathers will try to drive away stran- gers who approach that sacred spot. The calls and cries of the Kingbird are generally loud and attract- ive, if not particularly musical, but while his mate is sitting — and pos- sibly at other times — he indulges in a soft and very pleasing song, which I have heard only in the very early morning. Olive Thorne Miller. 445. Tyranjaus dominicensis {Gmel.). Gray Kingbird. Ad.— Upper parts ashy gray ; a concealed orange-red crown patch ; wings and tail fuscous ; under wing-coverts pale sulphur-yellow ; under parts white, tinged with grayish on the breast. L., 9-00 ; W., 4-60 ; T., 3-50 ; B. from N., -80. Mange. — Breeds from the coast of South Carolina southward through Florida and the Greater Antilles ; winters in the Lesser Antilles, Mexico, and Central America; accidental in Massachusetts. Kest., of grass and weeds, lined with line grass and rootlets, in hushes. Eggs^ four, deep salmon, irregularly spotted and blotched with umber and lilac, 1-00 X -75 (Maynard). The Gray Kingbird is a common summer resident of parts of our South Atlantic States, arriving early in May. It resembles the King- bird in appearance, but lacks the white band at the end of the tail, and has quite different notes. Its usual call is a vigorous piiirri, pitirri, which in Cuba gives it its common name. The Arkansas Kingbird (^^7. Tyrann/us verticalis).^ a western species, has been taken in Iowa, District of Columbia, Maine, New Jersey, and New York. 452. Myiarchus crinitus {Linn.). Crested Flycatcher; Great Crested Flycatcher. Ad. — Upper parts grayish brown, washed with olive- green ; outer vane of primaries margined with pale rufous; inner vane of all but the middle tail-feathers />a^« r?^OMj?/ throat and breast pearl-gray ; belly sulphur-yellow. L., 9-01 ; W., 4-14 ; T., 3-75 ; B. from N., -62. Range. — Breeds from Florida to New Brunswick ; winters from southern Florida to Central America. Washington, very common S. E., Apl. 25 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S, R., May 7 to Sept. 12. Cambridge, uncommon S. R., May 15 to Aug. Least Flycatcher. Phcebe. FLYCATCHERS. 245 Crested Flycatcher. (Natural size.) Nest^ of grasses, twigs, and rootlets, with generally a piece of a cast snake skin, in a hole in a tree, generally less than twenty feet up. £ggs^ three to six, creamy white, streaked longitudinally with cliocohite, -yO x -68. During the spring migration each day brings its own surprise and pleasure. The bare, silent woods where I walked alone before are now astir with flitting wings and ringing with glad music. Each morning I hurry out, full of eager anticipation, to be thrilled by the greeting of some old friend come home again. There are red-letter days, however, even in this calen- dar. Hark ! from the woods a loud whistle pierces far through the clearing. The Great- crest has come ! I break away from the confusing chorus of small voices and hurry off to the woods for the first sight of the distinguished bird. Full of life and vigor, he flies about in the green tree tops, chattering to himself or calling loudly as he goes. Xot many days pass, however, before he is so taken up with do- mestic matters that his voice is rarely heard outside the woods. Is he engaged in his famous pursuit — hunting snake skins to line his nest? Absorbed in my daily round of nest calls, I cherish the memory of each passing glimpse of him. Now I see him launch from a bass- wood top, with wings and tail spread, to sail down through the air, his tail glowing red against the light. Again, when looking for a rare Warbler, his calls arrest me. In the dead top of the highest tree in sight I find him with his mate. With crests raised, the handsome birds chase each other about the bare branches. Tired of that, they explore the old Woodpecker's holes in the trunk, and one of them walks out of sight down a hollow limb. A Blackbird lights in the tree, and the Great-crest above becomes so agitated that I am con- vinced his mate has gone to her nest, when lo ! both Flycatchers are off and away to another of the great trees that overtop the forest. Florence A. Merriam. 456. Sayomis phoebe {Lath.). Phcebe. (See Fig. 42.) Jf/.— Up- per parts grayish brown with an olive- green cast ; crown distinctly darker, fuscous; wings and tail fuscous, wing-bars not conspicuous; outer vane of outer tail-feather white or yellowish white, except at the tip; under parts white, more or less washed with yellowish, and tinged with brownish gray 246 FLYCATCHERS. on the breast and sides ; bill hlacJc. Im. — Similar, but upper parts more olive, under parts more yellow, and wing-bars more distinct. L., 6-99 ; W., 3-38 ; T., 2-95; B.from N., -41. Bemarks. — The Phoebe's principal distinguishing characters are its fus- cous crown-cap, white outer vane of the outer tail-feather, and blackish lower mandible. Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from South Carolina to New- foundland and Manitoba, and winters from North Carolina to Cuba and Mexico. Washington, common S. R., Mch. 5 to Oct. ; occasionally winters. Sing Sing, common S. E., Mch. 14 to Oct. 29. Cambridge, common S. R., Mch. 25 to Oct. 10. Nest., bulky, largely moss and mud lined with grasses and long hairs, on a beam or rafter, under a bridge or bank. £(/gs^ four to six, white, rarely with a few cinnamon-brown spots, -78 x -59. There is something familiar, trustful, and homelike in the Phcebe's ways which has won him an undisputed place in our affections. With an assurance born of many welcomes he returns each year to his perch on the bridge-rail, barnyard gate, or piazza, and contentedly sings his humble, monotonous pewit phoebe, pewit phoebe — a hopelessly tune- less performance, but who that has heard it in early spring when the "pussy willow" seems almost io purr with soft blossoms, will not affirm that Phoebe touches chords dumb to more ambitious songsters ! Sometimes Phcebe is inspired to greater effort, and, springing into the air on fluttering wings, he utters more j^hozbes in a few seconds than he would sing ordinarily in an hour. Phoebe is a devoted parent, and is rarely found far from home. His nest seems to be the favorite abode of an innumerable swarm of parasites which sometimes cause the death of his offspring, and when rearing a second family he changes his quarters. No other Flycatcher winters in numbers in our Southern States, and Phoebes' notes heard in January in the heart of a Florida " hum- mock " seem strangely out of place. Say's Phcebe (457. Saijornis sa?/a}, a western species, is of accidental occun-ence east of the Mississippi. It has been found in northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa, and, more recently, on Cape Cod, Massachusetts (Miller, Auk, vii, 1890, p. 228). 459. ContopvLS horeaJis (Sioai/fs.). Olive-sided Flycatcher. Ad. — Upper parts between fuscous and dark olive ; wings and tail fuscous ; throat, middle of the belly, and generally a narrow line on the center of the breast white or yellowish white ; rest of the under parts of nearly the same color as the back; under tail-coverts marked with dusky; a t»ft of fluff y, yellowish- white feathers on either ilank ; upper mandible black, lower mandible yel- lowish or pale grayish brown, the tip darker. Im. — Similar, but with rather FLYCATCHERS. 247 more olive above, more yellow below, and with the wing-coverts edged with ochraceous-buff. L., 7-39 ; W., 4-05 ; T., 2-70 ; B. from N., -54. Remarks. — This species may always be known from our other Flycatchers by the comparatively little white on the under parts, and by the tuft of yel- lowish-white feathers on the flanks. Like the Wood Fewee, it has the wing •50 or more longer than the tail. Range. — Breeds from Massachusetts and Minnesota northward, and south- ward in Alleghanies to North Carolina ; winters in tropics. Washington, casual T. V., one instance, Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably com- mon T. v., May 20 ; Aug. 15 to Sept. 16. Cambridge, T. V., May 20 to May 30 ; Aug. ; formerly not uncommon S. R. l^est., of twigs and moss, in coniferous trees, about twenty-five feet up, near the extremity of a limb. Eggs.^ three to five, vinaceous-white, spotted, chiefly about the larger end, with distinct and obscure rufous markings, -85 x -62. I have seen the Olive-sided Flycatcher only during the migrations, when I look for it on the topmost limb of some high, dead, woodland tree — a commanding position from which it may view its surround- ings. Even at a distance it impresses one as being a stout, stocky bird, with a head too large for its body. During the" summer they live among pines or cedars, and are de- scribed by Colonel Goss as " bold, quarrelsome, and tyrannical, zeal- ously guarding any chosen locality, where they will be found perched upon the tops of the tallest trees, from which they swoop down upon the passing insects, and often repeat their plaintive pu-pu or pu-pip, the males occasionally uttering a loud, whistling call-note." 461. Contopus virens (Linn.). Wood Pewee. .Ic/.— Upper parts very dark, between olive and fuscous, with sometimes a tinge of dark olive- green ; wings and tail fuscous ; wing-coverts tipped wi.th whitish, forming two more or less distinct wing-bars ; under parts white or yellowish white, washed with olive-gray on the sides of the throat and breast, and, to a less extent, on the center of breast; upper mandible black; lower mandible yel- lowish or brownish, the tip frequently darker. Im. — Similar, but yellower below, the wing-coverts edged with cream-buff. L., 6-53 ; W., 3-34; T., 2-G2; B. from N., -42. Remarlcs. — The Wood Pewee and the Olive-sided Flycatcher differ from our other Flycatchers in having the wings decidedly longer than the tail, and in their short tarsi. From the species of the genus Empidonax they may be known l)y these characters and tlieir darker, more fuscous coloration. Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from Florida to Newfoundland; winters in Central America. Washington, common S. R., Apl. 28 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, common S. R., May 10 to Oct. 2. Cambridge, common S. R., May 18 to Sept. 10. Nest., compact and symmetrical, of fine grasses, rootlets, moss, etc., thickly covered with lichens, saddled on a limb, twenty to forty feet up. Eggs., three to four, white, with a wreath of distinct and obscure umber markings about the larger end, '68 x -54. 248 FLYCATCHERS. To thoroughly appreciate how well the Pewee's disposition is suited to his haunts and notes, we have only to imagine him taking the Phoibe's place and singing the Phoibe's song. He was not in- tended to adorn a bridge or barn, but in the darkened woods, high up in the trees, he finds a congenial home. His pensive, gentle ways are voiced by his sad, sweet call: The notes are as musical and restful, as much a part of Nature's hymn, as the soft humming of a brook. P^^^^^^^^^^^^ All day long the Pewee sings ; even when the heat { — of summer silences more vigorous birds and the Pee-a - wee midday sun sends light-shafts to the ferns, the clear, sympathetic notes of the retiring songster come from the green canopy overhead, in perfect harmony with the peace and stillness of the hour. 463. Empidonax flaviventris Baird. Yellow-bellied Fly- catcher. Ad. — Upper parts rather dark olive-greeii ; wings and tail fus- cous; greater and lesser wing-coverts tipped with white or yellowish white ; under parts sulphur-yellow, the belly pure, the throat, breast, and sides more or Jess washed with olive-green; tipper mandible black, lower mandible whitish or flesh-color ; second to fourth primaries of equal length, the first shorter than the fifth, /m.— Yellow of the under parts brighter, wmg-bars more yellow, and sometimes tinged with pale ochraceous-buff. L., 5-63; W. 2-65; T., 2-lG; B. from N., -33. i?emar^5.— This is the most yellow of our small Flycatchers. In any plum- age the entire under parts, including the throat., are sulphur-yellow or dusky yellowish. In the other eastern species of this genus the throat is white. 7^a»^6.— Eastern North America ; breeds from Berkshire County, Mass., to Labrador ; winters in Central America. Washington, rather common T, V., May 1 to May 31 ; Aug. 1 to Oct. 1. Sing Sing, common T. V., May 17 to June 4 ; Aug. 8 to Sept. 20. Cambridge, T. v., sometimes rather common, May 24 to June 5 ; Aug. 25 to Sept. 10. Nest., of moss, lined with grasses, on the ground, beneath the roots of a tree or imbedded in moss. Eggs., four, creamy white, with numerous pale cin- namon-brown markings, chiefly about the larger end, -68 x -54. To see this little Flycatcher at his best, one must seek the northern evergreen forest, where, far from human habitation, its mournful notes blend with the murmur of some icy brook tumbling over mossy stones or gushing beneath the still mossier decayed logs that threaten to bar its way. Where all is green and dark and cool, in some glen overarched by crowding spruces and firs, birches and maples, there it is we find him, and in the beds of damp moss he skillfully conceals his iiest. He sits erect on some low twig, and, like other Flycatchers, the snap of his bill tells of a sally after his winged prey. He glides quietly away when approached, and his occasional note of complaint FLYCATCHERS. 249 may be heard as long as one remains in his vicinity. During the mi- gration this species is silent and its several distinctive notes are not available for its identification, and the same thing may be said of our other small Flycatchers. Great similarity in plumage exists between them all, and without the bird in hand identifications are at best questionable. The song is more suggestive of a sneeze on the bird's part than of any other sound with which it may be compared. It is an abrupt pse-ek\ almost in one explosive syllable, harsh like the deeper tones of a House Wren, and less musical than the similar but longer songs of Traill's or the Acadian Flycatcher. It is hardly surprising that the birds sing very little when we see with what a convulsive jerk of the head the notes are produced. Its plaintive call is far more melodious — a soft, mournful whistle consisting of two notes, the second higher pitched and prolonged, with rising inflection, resembling in a measure chu-e-e-p. J. D wight, Jr. 465* Empidonax virescens ( Vleill.).* Acadian Flycatcher. ^4(i. —Upper parts between olive-green aud dark olive-green; wings and tail fuscous ; greater and lesser wing-coverts yellowish white, forming two con- spicuous wing-bars; under parts white, washed with pale yellowish and slightly tinged with greenish on the breast ; the throat, and frequently the middle of the belly, pure white ; upper mandible black, lower mandible whit- ish or flesh-color ; second to fourth primaries of about equal length, the first and fifth shorter and also of equal length. Im. — Upper parts greener; under parts more tinged with yellow ; wing-bars' and outer edges of the tijis of the secondaries ochraceous-buft". L., 5-75 ; W., 2-85 ; T., 2-35 ; B. from N., "SB. Remarks. — This species has the upper parts fully as olive-green as the Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, but the under parts are never entirely yellow, and the throat is always white. Range. — Eastern United States ; breeds from Florida to southern Connect- icut and Manitoba ; winters in Central America. Washington, common S. R., May 5 to Sept. 15. Sing Sing, common S. E., May 10 to Aug. 27. AW, shallow^ of plant stems, grasses, and blossoms, generally on a fork of a beech about eight feet up. £ggs., two to three, creamy Avhite, with a few cinnamon-brown spots about the larger end, -74: x -56. Look for the Acadian Flycatcher in woodlands watered by small streams. It selects a low rather than a high perch, and is rarely seen more than twenty feet from the ground. The frequently uttered calls of this bird are characteristic and will enable you to identify it with more ease in the field than in the study. The most common is a sin- gle spee or peet, repeated at short intervals and accompanied by a * Equivalent to Empidonax acadicus of authors ; see Brewster, Auk, xii, April, 1895. 250 FLYCATCHERS. rapid twitching of the tail. A more peculiar note is a louder pee-a- yuk. The bird seems to articulate this note with difficulty, with bill pointed upward and wings trembling like a fledgling begging for food. Sometimes you may hear only the first call, sometimes only the second, while on other occasions the two may be uttered alternately. A rarer note may be heard when the bird makes a short, fluttering flight. It resembles the soft murmuring of whistling wings. 466a. Exupidonax traillii {Aud.). Traill's Flycatcher. Ad.— Upper parts between olive-green and olive or olme-hrown ; wings and tail fuscous ; greater and lesser wing-coverts tipped with brownish ashy ; under parts v/hitish, washed with dusky grayish on the breast and sides and pale yellowish on the belly ; throat pure white ; upper mandible black, lower mandible wiiitish or flesh-color. Im. — Similar, but wing-bars ochraceous- buti" and under parts slightly yellower. L., 6-09 ; W., 2-87 ; T., 2-33 ; B. from K, -35. Hemarks. — This is the hroivnest of our small Flycatchers. The upper parts have an evident tinge of brown or olive-brown, a color entirely want- ing in the Acadian and Yellow-bellied Flycatchers. In this respect it resem- bles the much smaller Least Flycatcher. Range. — North America; breeds from Arizona, Missouri, southern Illinois, northern New England, and casually Connecticut, north to New Brunswick and Alas'ka ; winters in Central America. Washington, irregularly common T. V., May 10 to May 28; Aug. 15 to Sept. 25. Sing Sing, rare T. V., May 19 to May 31 ; Aug. 29. Cambridge, rare T. V., May 25 to May 31 ; Aug. Nest., of coarse grasses, plant down, and plant fibers, lined with fine grasses, in the crotch of a small bush or sapling near the gi'ound. . Egga., three to four, creamy white, with cinnamon-brown markings about the larger end, •73 X -54. While the A^ellow-belHed Flycatcher is distinctively a bird cf the deep woods, this more abundant Flycatcher in its summer home re- sorts to the alder patclies of the open country and is seldom found far from their protecting shade. It flits restlessly about, keeping well out of sight below the waving tops of the bushes, and its presence is be- trayed oidy by a single pep of alarm that in no way resembles the mournful wail of the species just mentioned. It, too. is silent when migrating, and on its breeding grounds sings but little, so that if it did not take pains to call out to every one who passes it would not be noticed among the rustling alders. The song most resembles that of the Acadian Flycatcher, an ee-zee' -e-up. with stress on the rasping zee, the latter part more musical. The performer jerks out the notes rapidly, doubling himself up and fairly vibrating with the explosive effort. J. DwiGHT, Jr. Note.— In The Auk for April, 1895, Mr. William Brewster shows that the spe- cific name pusillus (Swains.), hitherto applied to the western form of this Fly- FLYCATCHERS. 251 catcher, is not identifiable. Muscicapa traillii was described by Audubon from Arkansas, and Mr. Brewster considers specimens from Arkansas and the Mis- sissippi Valley south of latitude 42° as inseparable from those inhabiting the region westward to the Pacific, to which he would therefore apply the name Empidonax traillii. In brief, the form previously known as E. pusillus becomes E. traillii, and the Mississippi Valley birds south of latitude 42°, which formerly were considered the same as those from the Atlantic States, are placed with the western rather than the eastern bird. This course leaves the eastern bird with- out a name, and Mr. Brewster proposes to call it Empidonax traillii alnorum ; Alder Flycatcher. Western specimens average somewhat browner than eastern ones, and have slightly larger bills, but, in my opinion, the differences are too slight to warrant their continued separation, and I would apply the name traillii to both. 467. Empidonax minimus Baird. LexVst Flycatcher ; Chebec. Ad. — Upper parts between olive-green and olive or olive-brown; wings and tail fuscous ; greater and lesser wing-coverts tinged with ashy white ; under parts whitish, washed with dusky grayish on the breast and sides and gen- erally with a slight tinge of yellowish on the belly ; lower mandible generally horn-color. Im. — Under parts slightly more yellow. L., 5-41 ; W., 2-51 ; T., 2-21 ; B. from N., -31. Remarks. — This is the smallest of our Flycatchers. Its size, the comj^ara- tive absence of yellow on the under parts, and the generally horn-colored or brown lower mandible are its chief distinguishing characters. Range. — Eastern United States; breeds from Pennsylvania to Quebec, and southward in Alleghanies to North Carolina; winters in tropics. Washington, common T. V., Apl. 25 to May 25 ; Aug. 28 to Sept. 25. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. K., Apl. 25 to Aug. 26. Cambridge, abundant S. R., May 1 to Aug. 25. Nest., of plant down, plant fibers, rootlets, fine strips of bark, and long hairs, generally in a crotch five to fifteen feet up. Eggs., three to five, white, unmarked, 'GS x 51. When music was distributed, I believe most of our Flycatchers had back seats. It was an unfortunate circumstance, for their sedentary habits and apparently thoughtful, serious, even poetic dispositions make one believe that with proper training they might have taken high rank as musicians. Instead of the simple melody we might expect to hear from the modest Least Flycatcher, he salutes us with a singularly inappropriate, business-like chebec, chehec, varying the performance by murderous sallies after passing insects. In crescendo passages he literally rises to the occasion, and on trembling wings sings an absurd " chehec, tooral- ooral. chehec, tooral-ooral,^'' with an earnestness deserving better results. The Chebec, however, possesses originality ; we can not confuse his voice with that of any other bird, and young ornithologists should give him a vote of thanks for his clear enunciation. He prefers fruit and shade trees to those of forest growth, and is therefore an inhabitant of our lawns and orchards. 252 LARKS. Family Alaudid^. Larks. The Horned Larks are the only representatives of this family found in America. About one hundred species, of which the Skylark is the best known, are found in the Old- World. They are terrestrial birds, generally colored in harmony with their haunts, and, except during the nesting season, are usually found in flocks. 474. Otocoris alpestris* {Linn.). Horned Lark; Shore Lark. Ad. <5 . — Forehead, line over the eye, ear region, and throat sulphur-yellow ; fore part of the crown, a tuft of elongated feathers on either side of the head, a mark from the bill below the eye and then downward to the side of the throat, and a patch on the breast black ; back of the head and neck and rump vinaceous, more or less washed with grayish brown ; back grayish brown, edged with brownish ash and tinged with vinaceous ; wing-coverts deep vinaceous ; tail black, the outer vanes of the outer feathers margined with white, the middle feathers broadly margined with brownish and vinaceous ; lower breast and belly white, the former more or less soiled with dusky spots ; sides vinaceous. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but the markings, especially those of the head, less sharply defined, neck less vinaceous, etc. Fall and winter specimens. — Similar, but with the black markings veiled by yellowish or whitish tips to the feathers. L., 7*75 ; " W., 4-27 ; T., 2-84 ; B. from N., -40 " (Dwight). Range. — Breeds in " northern Europe, Greenland, Newfoundland, Labra- dor, and Hudson Bay region ; southward in winter into eastern United States to about lat. 35° " (Dwight). Washington, common W, V., Nov. to Mch. or Apl. Sing Sing, casual W. V. Cambridge, common T. V., Oct. 25 to Nov. 25 ; Mch. 25 to Apl. 5. Nest.^ of grasses, on the ground. Eggs.^ three to four, pale bluish or greenish white, minutely and evenly speckled with pale grayish brown, -84 x -60. These hardy birds visit us in flocks in the winter. They frequent the vicinity of the seacoast or large, flat, open tracts in the interior, and are rarely found in well- wooded regions. They are terrestrial, and may be seen running over the snow or barren ground in scattered companies. They take wing with a sharp, whistled note, and seek fresh fields or, hesitating, finally swing about and return to near the spot from which they were flushed. They are sometimes found asso- ciated with Snowflakes, and flocks may contain numbers of our resi- dent Shore Lark, 0. a. praficola. 474b. O. a. praticola Hens?/.. Prairie Horned Lark.— Similar to the preceding species, but smaller and somewhat paler, with the forehead and line over the eye white instead of yellow, the throat but slightly tinged * See an important paper on the relationships and distribution of the Ameri- can representatives of this genus, by Dr. J. Dwight, Jr., in The Auk, vii, 1890, pp. 138-158. CROWS, JAYS, ETC. 253 with yellow, and sometimes entirely white. L., 7*25 ; " W., 4-08 ; T., 2-86 ; B. from N., -37" (D wight). Hange.— Breeds in the upper Mississippi Valley eastward through JNew York to western Massachusetts and Long Island. Washington, common \V. V., (Jet. 25 to Apl. This is one of the birds that has changed its range since the settle- ment of America. It is properly a species of the prairies and open barrens, but since the once-continuous forest of the older States and provinces has been broken up, it has made its appearance in the east, wherever the country is suited to its requirements. It is strictly a ground bird, never perching on trees, though it com- monly alights on the top of a fence post or other low, level surface. When encountered on a pathway it often runs before the pedestrian, after the manner of the Vesper Sparrow, from which bird, however, ^ig. 76. -Frame Horned Lark. (Nat- it may be distinguished by the black feathers in its tail, by its chocolate back, and by the black marks on its face ; also by the fact that it 7mns, but does not hop, and when it flies it usually utters a whistle, whereas the Vesper Sparrow invari- ably flies off in silence. Its chief song is poured forth in the air as it soars aloft, like a Sky- lark ; but it often utters this same song while perched on some clod or stone, especially just before dawn and after sunset, as well as in the springtime, while the snow is yet on the ground. — Ernest E. Thompson. European Skylarks (473. Alauda arvensis) have been introduced several times in this country. In 1887 a small colony had become establisiied near Flatbush, Long Island, where a nest with young was found. (See Dutcher, Auk, V, 1888, p. 180.) After a supposed extinction a singing bird and nest were observed in July, 1895. (See Proctor, Auk, xii, Oct., 1895.) Family Corvid^. Crows, Jays, etc. The CorvidcB are represented in all parts of the world except New Zealand. They number about two hundred species, of which twenty- five are found in North America. Our Crows and Jays inhabit wooded regions, and, although migra- tory to a limited extent, are resident throughout the year, except at the northern limits of their range. They are omnivorous feeders, taking fruits, seeds, insects, eggs, nestlings, etc. 254 CROWS, JAYS, ETC. Crows and Jays exhibit marked traits of character and are possessed of unusual intelligence. Some systematists place them at the top of the Avian tree, and, if their mental development be taken into con- sideration, they have undoubted claims to this higli rank. KEY TO THE SPECIES. A. Plumage black. a. Wing about 15-00; bill over 2-50 486a. Eaven. b. Wing about 13-00; bill about 2-00. 488. Am. Crow. 488a. Florida Crow. c. Wing about 11-00; bill about 1-50 ", 490. Fish Crow. Ji. Plumage bluish or grayish. a. Back blue ; tail tipped with white ; a black breast-patch. 477. Blue Jay. 477a. Florida Blue Jay. b. Back bluish gray ; tail not tipped with white ; throat and breast indis- tinctly streaked with whitish 479. Florida Jay. c. Back gray ; back of head and nape blackish; forehead whitish. 484. Canada Jay. 484c. Labrador Jay. 477. Cyanocitta cristata (Linn.). Blue Jay. (See Fig. 44, a.) Ad. — Upper parts grayish blue; under parts dusky whitish, whiter on the throat and belly; forehead, and a band passing across the back of the head down the sides of the neck and across the breast, black ; head crested ; ex- posed surface of wings blue, the greater wing-coverts and secondaries barred with black and tipped with white ; tail blue, all but the outer feathers barred with black, and all but the middle pair broadly tipped with white, this white tip rarely less than 1-00 in width on the outer feather. L., 11-74; W., 5-14, T., 5-19; B., 1-04. Ea7ige. — Eastern North America ; breeds from Florida to Newfoundland ; generally resident throughout its range. Washington, rather rare P. R., common T. V., Apl. 28 to May 15; Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. Sing Sing, tolerably common P. K. Cambridge, common P. K., abundant T. V., Apl. and May ; Sept. and Oct. Nest., of rootlets, compactly interwoven, generally in a tree crotch fifteen to twenty feet up. Eggs., four to six, pale olive-green or brownish ashy, rather thickly marked with distinct or obscure spots of varying shades of cinnamon- brown, 1-10 X '85. The Blue Jay. I fear, is a reprobate, but, notwithstanding his fond- ness for eggs and nestlings, and his evident joy in worrying other birds, there is a dashing, reckless air about him which makes us par- don his faults and like him in spite of ourselves. Like many men, he needs the inspiration of congenial company to bring out the social side of his disposition. Plousehold duties may perhaps absorb him, but certain it' is that when at home he is very dif- ferent from the noisy fellow who, with equally noisy comrades, roams the woods in the fall. How his jay, jay rings out on the frosty morning air! It is a sig- CROWS, JAYS, ETC. 255 nal to his companions, breakfasting in a near-by oak or chestnut, " Here, here, here's some fun ! "' and the poor, blinking Owl he has discovered looks helplessly at the blue-coated mob, whose uproar alono is terrifying. Suddenly there is absolute silence ; every Jay has dis- appeared. Some one of them has seen you, and not until your silence reassures the band will they return to the sport of teasing their victim. The Blue Jay is both a mimic and a ventriloquist. Besides an in- exhaustible stock of whistles and calls of his owm, he imitates the notes of other species, notably those of the Red-shouldered, Red-tail, and Sparrow Hawks. 477a. C. c. florincola Coues. Fjlokida Blue Jay. — Similar to the preceding species, but smaller, the upper parts somewhat grayer, the white tips to the feathers narrower, those on the outer pah* of tail-feathers generally less than 1-00 in width. L., 10-75 ; W., 5-15 ; T., 4-80 ; B., -96. Range. — Florida and Gulf coast region to Texas. Blue Jays in Florida are much more familiar than our Jays at the north. They are common inhabitants of towns with live-oaks, and hop about the fences and gardens with all the domesticity of the Robins on our lawns. It has always seemed to me that the Florida birds were possessed of greater vocabularies than their northern brethren. The Magpie (^75. Pica pica Tiudsonica) inhabits western North America; stragglers have been recorded from as far east as Montreal and Illinois. 479. Aphelocoma floridana {Bartr.). Florida Jay. .4(Z.— Top and sides of the head and neck, wings and tail, grayish blue ; back pale brownish gray ; under parts dirty white, obscurely streaked on the throat and breast; sides of the breast and faint breast-band grayish blue. L., 11-50; W., 4-45; T., 5-40 ; B., -98. Range. — Florida; of local distribution, chiefly along the coasts, between lat. 27° and 30°. Xest., of sticks and roots lined with weeds and rootlets, in bushes. Eggs., four, olive-green spotted and blotched with black, 1-17 x -75 (Maynard). "The Florida Jays are noisy birds at all times, and the first inti- mation which one receives of their presence is a harsh scream which is given as a note of alarm. As they usually move in flocks, this cry is taken up by others, and soon the scrub for many rods around will be resounding with these peculiar sounds. When undisturbed they feed on the ground or in bushes, but, upon the approach of an intruder, they will mount the highest point available, where they remain until driven away. They are not usually shy, and will allow one to ap- proach them quite closely, but when one or two are shot the survivors usually disappear. . . . They will glide through the bushes with re- markable rapidity, never once showing themselves, or, if they have an 256 CROWS, JAYS, ETC. open space to cross, dart over it, not in flocks, but singly, and, plung- ing into the next thicket, they will at once be lost to view " (Maynard). 484. Perisoreus canadensis (Linn.). Canada Jay; Whisky Jack; Moose-bird. Ad. — Fore part of the head white, back of the head and nape sooty black, back gray ; wings and tail gray, most of the feathers nar- rowly tipped with white ; throat and sides of the neck white, rest of the un- der parts ashy gray. L., 12-00 ; W., 5-85 ; T., 5-80 ; B., 82. Bange. — Nova Scotia, northern New England, and northern New York ; west to northern Minnesota ; nortli, in the interior, to the arctic regions. Cambridge, A. V., one record, Oct. Nest., of coarse twigs and strips of bark, in coniferous trees. Eggs., four to five, white, distinctly and obscurely spotted with light olive-brown, 1'12 x -81. While studying the habits of birds in the great coniferous forest of the north, I soon found that I was very safe in attributing any new strange shrieks or wails, whose origin I was otherwise unable to trace, to the Canada Jay. Many of the notes resemble those of the Blue Jay, but it has a number that are distinctly its own. Some of these are musical, but most of them are harsh and discordant. In its habits it is much like its blue cousin, but it is less shy, and becomes almost tame if allowed to come unmolested about the camp for a few days in succession. In form it is like a magnified Chickadee, clad in singularly furlike, thick, puffy gray feathers ; on its forehead is a white spot, the size of a dime, and its wings and tail are of a much darker gray than the other parts. This description, remem- bered in conjunction with the habits, will at once identify the species. It nests early in March — that is, while deep snow still covers the ground and hard frost reigns supreme ; and no satisfactory explana- tion of this strange habit has yet been brought forward. No doubt one or other of the parents always remains with the eggs, but still it is difficult to see how they can keep them from freezing when the sur- rounding air is chilled to 30° below zero. It is a non-migratory species, and it is said that in autumn it pro- vides against the annual famine of winter by laying up a store of nuts and other food. Ernest E. Thompson. 484c. P. C. nigricapillus Ridgiv. Labrador Jay. — Similar to the preceding, but darker, the black of the head and neck extending forward and surrounding the eye. Range. — Coast region of Labrador. 486a. Corvus corax principalis Ridgw. Northern Raven ; American Raven. yI^I— Entire plumage black Avith steel-blue reflections ; feathers on the throat narrow, lengthened, and pointed. " L., about 22-00- 26-50; W., 16-99; T., 9-86; B., 3-03; depth of B. at N., 1-04" (Ridgw.). Remarks.— The Raven differs from the Crow in its much greater size and CROWS, JAYS, ETC. 257 in having long, pointed, instead of the usual short, rounded feathers on the throat. Range. — Northern North America from Greenland to Alaska, south on the Paciiic coast to British Columbia, and on the Atlantic coast to North Carolina; of local distribution in the eastern United States, Nest., compact and symmetrical, of sticks lined with grasses, wool, etc., add- ed from year to year, in trees or on clifts. " Eggs., two to seven, pale bluish green, pale olive, or olive spotted or dashed (or both) with olive-brown (some- times nearly uniform olive from density of markings), 2-02 x 1-38" (Kidgw.). " The usual note of the Raven is a hoarse, rolling cr-r-r-cruck, but he has other cries. . . . " Despite their difference in size and habits, I must confess that I often had difficulty in distinguishing Ravens from Crows. Every one must have noticed how the apparent size of a Crow will vary under different conditions of the atmosphere ; it is the same with the Raven. At times he looks as big as an Eagle ; at others scarcely larger than a Fish Crow. But when actually in company with Crows he can not be possibly mistaken, for he then appears, as he is, nearly double the size of any of them. His flight did not seem to me as characteristic as it has been described. True, he sails more than does the Crow, and there is something peculiar in his wing strokes, but the difference is not always appreciable unless there is an opportunity for direct com- parison " (Brewster, Birds Observed on Gulf of St. Lawrence. Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist., xxii, 1883, p. 378). 488. Corvus americanus Aud. American Crow. (See Fig. 44, b.) Ad. — Entire plumage black, with steel-blue or deep purplish reflections ; the under parts duller than the upper parts ; feathers on the neck normal, short, and rounded. L., 19-30 ; W., 12-18 ; T., 7*52; B., 2-00. Range. — '' North America from the fur countries to Mexico " ; winters from the northern United States southward. Washington, abundant P. K. Sing Sing, common P. R. Cambridge, abundant P. R. Nest., bulky, of sticks lined with strips of grapevine bark, grasses, moss, etc., in trees, generally about thirty feet up. Eggs., four to six, generally blu- ish green, thickly marked with shades of brown, but sometimes light blue or even white with almost no markings, 1-65 x 1-19. Throughout his wide range the size, color, voice, habits, and abun- dance of the Crow combine to make him the most conspicuous and consequently the best known of our birds. But in spite of his great circle of acquaintances he has few friends. An unfortunate fondness for corn has placed him under the ban of the agriculturist ; there is a price on his head ; every man's hand is against him. Apparently he does not mind this in the least ; in fact, he seems ■to rejoice in being an outlaw. As for fear, I doubt if he knows what 18 258 CROWS. JAYS, ETC. it means; he has far too much confidence in his undoubted ability to escape his human persecutors. He hiughs at their attempts to entrap him; his insolent assurance is admirable. For several centuries man has been his sworn enemy, nevertheless he appears to have held his own, accepting and adjusting himself to every new condition. Afraid of no one, he migrates boldly by day, and in March and October we may see him with his comrades high in the air, returning to or leaving their summer homes. In winter the Crows are exceed- ingly abundant along our seacoasts, where they congregate to feed on mollusks, fish, and other sea food. At this season they roost in colonies. It has been estimated that some roosts contain upward of three hundred thousand birds.* Early in the morning, with regularly executed manoeuvres, they start on the day's foraging, flying low, on the lookout for food. Late in the after- noon they return at a much greater height — " as the Crow flies " — and, alighting at some point near the roost, wait the coming of the last stragglers. Then, at a given signal, they all rise and retire for the night. No one w^ho has listened to Crows will doubt that they have a lan- guage. But who can translate it ? 488a. C. a. floridanus Baird. Florida Crow. — Similar to the pre- ceding, but wings and tail somewhat shorter, and bill and feet slightly larger. L., 20-00; W., 11-50-12-30; T., 7-00-7-70 ; B., 2-00-2-20 ; depth of B. at base, •75--85; Tar., 2-40-2-50 (Eidgw.). Range. — Florida; confined largely to the pine-woods. 490. Corvus ossifra^us Wih. Fish Crow. Ad. — Entire plumage black, with steel-blue or deep purplish reflections, generally more greenish on the under parts. L., 16-00 ; W., 11-00 ; T., 6-40 ; B., 1-50. Remarks. — The Fish Crow may be distinguished from the common Crow (1) by its much smaller size. (2) By the uniform and somewhat richer color of the back. In americanus the feathers of the back have dull tips ; when the freshly-plumaged bird is held between the observer and the light these tips give the back a ringed or slightly scaled appearance. In ossifragus these tips are wanting, and the back is uniformly colored. (3) By the brighter color of the under parts. In americanus the under parts are generally much duller than the upper parts; in ossifragus they are nearly as bright. Range. — Gulf and Atlantic coast, as far north as southern Connecticut; resident except at the extreme northern part of its range. Washington, rather common P. R. Cambridge, A. V., one record, Mch. Nest., of sticks, lined with strips of grapevine bark, moss, grasses, etc., generally in pines or cedars, twenty to fifty feet up. Eggs.^ four to six, simi- lar in color to those of C. americanus., 1-52 x 1-OG. * Rhoads, Crow Roosts and Roosting Crows, Am. Nat., 1886, pp. 691-700, 777-787. STARLINGS. 259 The Fish Crow can be distinguished from the common Crow in life only by its call. Its voice is cracked and reedy, and its notes re- semble those of a young common Crow. Instead of the loud, clear, open caw of adults of that species, it utters a hoarser car, as if it talked through its nose ! The difference is perhaps not appreciable upon paper, but one who is familiar with their calls need never con- fuse these two birds in the field. The Fish Crow, while not confined to the coast or even the vicinity of water, is not found far inland. Family Sturnid^. Starlings. An Old-World family containing some two hundred species. It is represented in America only by the Starling, which has been recently introduced. 493. Sturnus vulgaris Z/;^;^. Starling. (See Fig. 45.) Ad., summer plumage. — Metallic purplish or greenish ; feathers of the upper parts all tipped with cream-bufl' spots, feathers of the under parts marked only on the sides ; lower belly and under tail-coverts, wings, and tail dark brownish gray, edged with creatn-butf; bill yellow. Ad., winter plutnage. — Similar, but the upper parts lieavily spotted with brownish cream-buff; the entire under parts heavily spotted with white ; bill blackish brown. L., 8-50 ; W., 5-10 ; T., 2-56. Range. — Europe and northern xVsia ; accidental in Greenland ; introduced in New York city. Nest, of grasses, twigs, etc., in a crevice in a building or hollow tree. Eggs, four to six, pale bluish, r-20 x -86. This Old-World species has been introduced in eastern North Amer- ica on several occasions, but only the last importation appears to have been successful. The birds included in this lot, about sixty in number, were released in Central Park, New York city, in 1890, under the direc- tion of Mr. Eugene Schieffelin. They seem to have left the park and have established themselves in various favorable places in the upper part of the city. They have bred for three successive years in the roof of the Museum of Natural History and at other points in the vicinity. In the suburbs about the northern end of the city they are. frequently observed in flocks containing as many as fifty individuals. These birds are resident throughout the year, and, as they have already endured our most severe winters, we may doubtless regard the species as thoroughly naturalized. Starlings are ivalkers, not hoppers, and this fact, in connection with the spotted plumage and yellow bill of the adults, makes their identification an easy matter. 260 BLACKBIRLiD, ORIOLES, ETC. Family Icterid^. Blackbirds, Orioles, etc. This distinctively American family is most abundantly represented in the tropics, where the majority of the one hundred and fifty known species are found. With the exception of the Orioles, they are gre- garious after the nesting season, while some of the species nest in col- onies and are found in flocks throughout the year. They differ markedly in habits, and are found living in ground of every nature, from dry plains and wet marshes to the densest forest growth. Some species possess marked vocal ability, while the voices of others are harsh and unmusical. They feed on fruit, seeds, and insects. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. With yellow or orange in the under parts. A. Throat black. a. Back black 507. Baltimore Oriole. b. Back greenish 506. Orchard Oriole ( $ im.). B. A black or blackish crescent on the breast ; outer tail-feathers white. 501. Meadowlark. 501a. Western Meadowlark. C. Entire under parts yellow, yellowish, or orange. a. Kump and tail orange . . . 507. Baltimore Oriole ( 9 and im.). b. Upper parts yellowish green . 506. Orchard Oriole ( 9 and im.). c. Upper parts bi'ownish, streaked and spotted with black ; tail-feath- ers pointed 494. Bobolink ( 9 and im.). D. Throat and breast yellow or yellowish ; belly black or dark grayish brown 497. Yellow-headed Blackbird. H. Under parts black, -with, or without metallic reflec- tions. A. Outer tail-feathers -75 or more shorter than middle ones ; bill I'OO or more in length. a. Tail over 6-00 513. Boat-tailed Grackle 6 . b. Tail under 6-00. fti. Back bronzy purple or shining, brassy bluish green, the feathers with iridescent bars 511. Purple Grackle ( $ ). 6». Back bronze, without iridescent bars. 5116. Bronzed Grackle $. • 63. Back bottle-green, the feathers more purple at their base, and with a narrow iridescent bar near the middle. 511a. Florida Grackle <5 . b*. Back bluish black, with or without iridescent bars. 511. Purple Grackle (9). 511a. Florida Grackle 9. £. Outer tail-feathers little if any shorter than middle ones ; bill less than 1-00 in length. a. Entire plumage bluish black, the feathers sometimes tipped with buffy or rufous 509. Kustv Blackbird. b. A red and butf shoulder-patch. . 498. Red-winged Blackbird ( $ ). BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 261 c. Head and neck all around seal-brown .... 495. Cowbird $ . d. Nape buffy, rump whitish 494. Bobolink 3 . m. Under parts grayish, slate-color, chestnut, or bnffy. A. Under parts grayish or slate-color. a. Under parts grayish ; bill flnchlike ; wing under 4-00. 495. Cowbird 9 . h. Under parts and upper parts slate-color, the feathers sometimes tipped with brownish 5U9. Rusty Blackbird 9 . B. Under parts buffy or chestnut. a. Under parts buffy, generally with a few black streaks. 494. Bobolink 9. b. Under parts buffy, without black streaks ; tail about 5-00. 513. Boat-tailed Grackle 9 . c. Under parts chestnut ; throat black. 506. Orchard Oriole ( $ ad.). rV. Under parts black and white, or black tipped or mar- gined with rusty. a. Under parts streaked black and white, or black tipped with white; shoulder generally red or reddish. 498. Red-winged Blackbird ( 9 and im.). 4986. Florida Redwing ( 9 and im.). b. Upper parts and under parts tipped with rusty. 509. Rusty Blackbird (im.). c. Nape buffy, rump whitish 494. Bobolink $ . 494. Dolichonyx oryzivorus {Linn.). Bobolink ; Reedbird ; RicEBiRD. Ad. 6 , breeding jjl^mage. — Top and sides of the head and under parts black, the feathers more or less tipped with a narrow whitish or cream- buff fringe, which wears off" as the season advances ; back of the neck with a large yellowish cream-buff' patch ; middle of back generally streaked with cream-buff'; scapulars, lower back, and upper tail-coverts soiled grayish white ; wings and tail black ; tail-feathers with pointed tips ; bill blue-black. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts olive-buff, streaked with black ; crown blackish, with a central stripe of olive buff'; nape finely spotted and back broadly streaked with black; wings and tail brownish fuscous; tail-feathers W\\h pointed tips ; under parts yellowish or buffy white. Ad. in fall and /w.— Similar to female, but huffier and more olivaceous throughout. L., 7'25 ; W., 3-76 ; T., 2-73 ; B., -55. Re.marTcs.—'Y)xQ young and adults in fall plumage are known as Reed- birds. Adults acquire this plumage by a complete molt after the breeding season. The breeding plumage is regained by a complete molt in the spring, and not, as has been supposed, by a change in the color of the feathers with- out molting. Freshly plumaged males have the black veiled by yellow tips to the feathers; these gradually wear off, and by June have almost entirely disappeared (cf. Chapman, Auk, x, 1893, p. 309). Range. — Breeds from southern New Jersey northward to Nova Scotia, westward to Utah and northern Montana; leaves the United States by way of Florida, and winters in South America. 262 BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. Washington, T. V., common in spring, abundant in fall ; May 1 to May 27 ; Aug. 5 to Oct. 1. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. E., May 1 to Oct. 5. Cam- bridge, very common S. R., May 8 to Sept. 10. Nest, of grasses, on the ground. J^ggs^ four to seven, grayish white, fre- quently tinged with the color of the numerous irregular spots and blotches of olive-brown or umber, •85 x •62. In June our fields and meadows echo with the Bobolink's '* mad music " as, on quivering wing, he sings in ecstasy to his mate on her nest in the grasses below. What a wonderful song it is ! An irre- pressible outburst ; a flood of melody from a heart overflowing with the joy of early summer. But this glad season is soon over. Even before the tide of the year is full, the Bobolink begins to prepare for the long journey to his win- ter resorts. Doffing his jaunty costume of black, white, and buff, he dons the less conspicuous dress of his mate, and travels in disguise under the assumed name of Reedbird or Ricebird. His voice is hushed, save for a single call-note — a metallic chink. He travels both by day and night, and from the sky we hear his watchword as he signals his companions. The wild-rice marshes of our coasts and rivers are the rendezvous of the countless flocks of Bobolinks, which later will invade South America, stopping en route to visit the rice fields of South Carolina and Georgia. They pass the winter south of the Amazon, and in March or April begin their northward journey. The males, in flocks of two or three hundred, precede the females by several days. They reach Florida about April 25, and are then in full song. Only one who has heard the Bobolink sing can form an idea of the effect pro- duced by a flock of three hundred singing in chorus. 493. Molothrus ater {Bodd.). Cowbird. Ad. 6 .—Head, neck, and breast coffee-brown ; rest of the plumage glossy black, with metallic bluish and greenish reflections. Ad. 9 . — Dark brownish gray, lighter below, especially on the throat. Young in first plumage. — Similar to the female, but whiter below, all the feathers edged with buffy. This plumage is worn but a short time, and is then changed for that of the adult. 6 L., , . , 7-92; W., 4-24; T., 3-03; B., •67. FIG. 77.-Cowbird. (Natural size.) ^^„^,._Breeds from Texas to New Brunswick and Manitoba; winters from southern Illinois southward. Washington, rather rare P. K., common T. V. Sing Sing, common S. R., Mch. 22 to Nov. 11. Cambridge, very common S. R., Mch. 25 to Oct. 15; oc- casional in winter. Bobolink, male and female. BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 2G3 Kest, none, the eggs being laid in the nests of other species. Eggs^ white, evenly and distinctly speckled witli cinnamon-brown or umber, "86 x -65. The Cowbird is an acknowledjjed villain, and has no standing in the bird world. English Sparrows, either because they are not aware of the customs of New-World bird life, or because of a possible and not unlikely affinity, associate with him ; but no self-respecting Ameri- can bird will be found in his company. As an outcast he makes the best of things, and gathers about him a band of kindred spirits who know no law. There is an air about the group which at once tells the critical observer that their deeds are evil. No joyous song swells the throat of the male. His chief con- tribution to the chorus of springtime is a guttural bubbling produced with apparently nauseous effort. In small flocks they visit both pasture and woodland, and are given to following cattle, clustering about the feet of the herd, presumably to feed on the insects found there. They build no nest, and the females, lacking every moral and maternal instinct, leave their companions only long enough to deposit their eggs in the nests of other and smaller birds. I can imagine no sight more strongly suggestive of a thoroughly despicable nature than a female Cowbird sneaking through the trees or bushes in search of a victim upon whom to shift the duties of motherhood. The ill-gotten offspring are born with the Cowbird character fully developed. They demand by far the greater share of the food, and through gluttony or mere size alone starve or crowd out the rightful occupants of the nest. They accept the attention of their foster-par- ents long after they could care for themselves; and when nothing more is to be gained desert them and join the growing flocks of their kind in the grainfields, 497. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus {Bonap.). Yellow- headed Blackbird. Ad. 3 .—Head, neck, throat, and breast orange-yellow; region before the ^eye and chin black; outer wing-coverts white, rest of the plumage black. Ad. 9 . — Forehead, line over the eye, sides of the head, throat, and upper breast pale, dirty yellow, more or less mixed with white; lower breast generally more or less marked with white ; rest of the plumage grayish brown. L., 10-00 ; W., o-oO ; T., 4-05 ; B., -85. Range. — Western North America, north to Manitoba, east to Illinois; win- ters from the Southern States southward ; accidental in Massachusetts, Dis- trict of Columbia, South Carolina, and Florida. Washington, A. V., one instance, Aug. Cambridge, A. V., one record, Oct. Nest^ bulky, of coarse reeds, grasses, etc., in marshes. Eggs., four to five, grayish white, evenly and rather obscurely speckled with pale cinnamon- brown, 1-00 X -72. " These birds are largely terrestrial in their habits, and during the fall and winter months are generally distributed over the prairies and 264 BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. plains, often following and running about with the cattle, in company with Cowbirds ; but their natural home is on or about the marshy, weedy grounds, and during the breeding season [they are] seldom to be met with far away. . . . " Their notes are harsh, and their attempt at song a laborious, whistling, squeaky, chuckling sound " (Gross). 498. Agelaius phcenicetiiis {Linn.). Red-winged Blackbikd. Ad. $ . — Lesser wing-coverts — " shoulders "—bright scarlet ; middle wing- coverts varying from oehraceous-buff to buffy white ; rest of the plumage black — in fall and winter specimens more or less tipped with rusty. Jm. 6 .— Upper parts margined with rusty and buffy ; under parts tipped with whitish ; lesser wing-coverts dull orange-red mixed with black. Ad. 9 . — Head and back blackish, streaked with rusty and buffy ; rump and upper tail-coverts fuscous, more or less edged with ashy ; wings fuscous, edged with bufty, the lesser coverts sometimes tinged with reddish ; under parts conspicuously streaked with black and white; the throat tinged with orange or yellow. $ L., 9-51 ; W., 4-72; T., 3-77 ; B., -88. Range. — Eastern North America ; breeds from the Gulf of Mexico to New Brunswick and Manitoba, and winters from Virginia southward. "Washington, common P. K., abundant in migrations. Sing Sing, common S. E., Feb. 25 to Nov. 11. Cambridge, abundant S. R., Mch. to Aug.; a few winter. Nest., of coarse grasses, weed stalks, etc., lined with finer grasses and root- lets, attached to low bushes or reeds. Eggs., three to five, pale blue, singularly streaked, spotted, or scrawled with dai'k purple or black, chiefly at the larger end, 1-04 x -72. A swiftly moving,' compact band of silent birds, passing low through the brown orchard, suddenly wheels and, alighting among the bare branches, with the precision of a trained choir breaks into a wild, tinkling glee. It is quite possible that in the summer this rude chorus might fail to awaken enthusiasm, but in the spring it is as welcome and inspiring a promise of the new year as the peeping of frogs or blooming of the first wild flower. Plain, streaked Mrs. Redwing, who has been spending the winter in flocks composed only of others of her sex, soon appears, but mating is delayed until late April or early May. Then we find the old homes in the wet meadows and marshes occupied by apparently the same birds which have dwelt there for years. Mounting the topmost branch of a tree not far from the nest, the male becomes an ever-vigilant sentinel. His rich " kong-quer-ree,'" which by association is so strongly suggestive of reedy marshes, is a signal that " all's welL" He challenges all suspicious characters by an inquiring chut, chuck, and with a long, shrill alarm-note, chee-e-e-e-e, circles out on fluttering wings, his gorgeous crimson epaulets showing conspicuously. ^v# BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 265 The nesting season is a short one, and in July young and old begin to gather in flocks in the marshes, where later they will be found, in countless numbers, feeding on the wild rice. 498b. A. p. bryanti RlJgw. Florida Redwin-g. — Similar to the preceding, but smaller, tlie bill much more slender ; 9 with the under parts less broadly streaked witli black. W., 3-70 ; T., 3-50 ; B., -90 ; depth of bill at nostril, -35. Range. — Florida and the Bahamas. 501. Sturnella magna (Z/ft«.). Meadowlark ; Field Lark. Ad. in summer. — Prevailing color of the upper parts black, the crown with a huffy line through the center, the back bordered and tipped with rufous and huffy ; outer tail-feathers mostly white, middle ones with imperfect, connected bars, not reaching the outer edge of the feather; line from the bill over the eye yellow; sides of the throat and ear-coverts whitish; throat, between the lower branch of the under mandible, breast, and middle of the upper belly bright yellow; a black crescent on the breast; sides and lower belly whitish, spotted or streaked with black. Winter plumage. — Feathers all much more widely margined, the prevailing color of the upper parts rufous-brown ; black breast crescent veiled with huffy ; yellow of under parts duller. L., 10-75 ; W., 4-76 ; T., 3-16 ; B., 1-30. Remarks. — This bird is to he distinguished from the western species by its much darker upper parts, by the imperfect, confluent tail-bars, and more especially by the absence of yellow on the sides of the throat. Range. — Eastern North America ; breeds from the Gulf to New Brunswick and Minnesota; winters from Massachusetts and Illinois southward. Washington, common P. R., less common in winter. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. R., Feb. 20 to Nov. 27 ; a few winter. Cambridge, common S. R., not common W. V. Xest.^ of grasses, frequently arched, on the ground. Eggs^ four to six, white, spotted or speckled with cinnamon or reddish brown, 1-15 x -80, In walking through grassy fields, meadows, or marshes, we some- times flush rather large, brownish birds, which, alternately flapping and sailing, scale away with a flight that suggests a Quail's. Their white outer tail-feathers show conspicuously, and if, instead of return- ing to the ground, they alight on a fence or the outer branch of a tree, as they utter a nasal peent., they will nervously flit their tails, display- ing the same white feathers. When in an exposed position they are wary and difficult to ap- proach, but when walking about on the ground they trust to the long grasses for protection, and sometimes do not take wing until one is within a few feet of them. In Cuba I noticed that a Meadowlark, closely related to ours, was very careful to conceal its brightly colored breast, with its distinctly marked crescent, and, although even perching birds were not shy, they 2G6 BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. •would invariably turn their backs upon me as I drew near. Do our Meadowlarks practice the same impolite habit ? The Meadowlark's song is a clear, plaintive whistle of unusual sweetness. It is subject to much variation, both individually and geographically. The birds near my home at Englewood, N. J., gen- erally sing: :f=^— • i- — »=— F— H But the 1^ — "^^ — songs of Florida birds are so different, I hardly recognized them by their notes. In the fall, Meadowlarks at the north gather in flocks and resort to large marshes. 501a. S. m. neglecta, (Aud.). AVestern Meadowlark; Prairie Lark. — Prevailiug color of the upper parts grayish brown, crown with a cen- tral buify stripe ; back black, feathers widely margined with grayish brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts with narrow black bars ; outer tail-feathers mostly white ; middle ones brownish gray, barred with black, the bars gen- erally no^ connected, and as a rule reaching the margins of the feathers; line from the bill over the eye yellow; ear-coverts grayish Avliite; throat yellow, this color reaching up on the sides of the throat and touching the ear- coverts ; breast and upper belly yellow, a black crescent on the breast ; sides and lower belly whitish, spotted or streaked with black. Winter plumage. — Upper parts more widely margined with grayish brown, these grayish brown tips with small, broken black bars ; yellow of under parts duller, the black crescent veiled with whitish. W., 4-60 ; T., 3-00 ; B., 1-25. Jiange. — " Western North America, north to British Columbia and Mani- toba ; east regularly to Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, and Texas, sparingly to Illinois and Wisconsin; south through western Mexico" (Eidgw.). The Western Meadowlark resembles the eastern bird in habits but differs from it so decidedly in song that some ornithologists consider it a distinct species and not a geographical race. In his charming biography of the Prairie Lark, Ernest E. Thompson writes : " In rich- ness of voice and modulation it equals or excels both Wood Thrush anfl Nightingale, and in the power and beauty of its articulation it has no superior in the whole world of feathered choristers with which I am acquainted " (Birds of Manitoba). The Trovpial {502. Icterus icterus), a South American species, was re- corded by Audubon as accidental at Charleston, South Carolina, 506. Icterus spurius (Linn.). Orchard Oriole. Ad. 3 .—Head, neck, throat, and upper back black ; breast, belly, lower back, and lesser wing-coverts chestnut; wings and tail fuscous, more or less edged or tipped with whitish. Ad. 9 .—Upper parts grayish olive-green, brighter on the head and rump ; wings fuscous, middle and greater coverts tipped with whit- ish ; tail bright olive-green; under parts dull yellow. Im. ^ ., first year.— BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 2G7 Similar to the ad. 9 , but with the back browner. Im. 3 , second y^ar,— Simi- lar to the ad. 9 , but with the throat black and occasionally patches of chest- nut on the under parts." L., 7-32; W., 3-18 ; T., 2-92 ; B., -65. Range. — Eastern North Amer- ica; breeds from the Gulf States to Massachusetts and Ontario, and winters in Central America. Washington, common S. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. Sing Sing, com- mon S. R., May 2 to Aug. 6. Cam- bridge, S. R., sometimes rather common, May 15 to July. A^t?*^, pensile, of grasses inter- woven, near the extremity of a limb, ten to fifteen feet up. Egqs, Fig. 78. -Orchard Oriole (Im. « , second ' r i/.v 1 year.) (Natural size.) three to five, bluish white, dis- tinctly and obscurely spotted, blotched, and scrawled with fuscous or black, •79 X -58. Although the Orchard Oriole generally frequents apple orchards, he is entirely at home among the shade trees of our lawns. There is an air of refinement about this bird which seems to per- vade his whole life history. He dresses quietly but with excellent taste, his nest is of the choicest materials, while his song suggests the finished effort of a perfectly trained performer. His voice is indeed unusually rich and flexible, and he uses it with rare skill and expres- sion. Words can not describe his song, but no lover of bird-music will be long in the vicinity of a singing Orchard Oriole without learn- ing the distinguished songster's name. 507. Icterus galbula {Linn.). Baltimore Oriole; Firebird; Golden Robin ; Hang-nest. Ad. $ . — Head, neck, throat, and upper back black ; breast, belly, lower back, and lesser wing-coverts deep, rich, reddish orange ; wings black, the outer margin of the greater coverts and quills edged with white ; end half of middle tail-feathers black, base orange ; all the others orange, crossed by a black band in the middle. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts brown- ish or grayish orange, brighter on the rump ; head and back mottled with black ; wings fuscous, greater and middle coverts tipped with white ; tail like the rump, the middle feathers stained with black ; under parts dull orange, throat sometimes spotted with black. L., 7'53 ; W., 3-52 ; T., 2-84 ; B., -70. ^a«^<^.— Eastern North America; breeds from the Gulf States to New Brunswick ; winters in Central America. Washington, rather common S. R., Apl. 28 to Sept. Sing Sing, common S. R., May 2 to Sept. 1. Cambridge, very common S. R., May 8 through Aug. A>s^, pensile, of gra.sses, bark, plant fibers, hair, strings, etc., firmly inter- woven, in fruit or .shade trees, near the extremity of a limb twenty to forty 268 BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. feet up. Eggs^ four to six, white, singularly scrawled with fine, distinct or obscure black or fuscous lines, and with a few spots or blotches, -94 x -63. Sometimes Nature, as if to remind us of the richness of her stores, sends from the tropics a gayly attired bird who seems quite out of place among the more soberly clad inhabitants of northern climes. The genus Icterus contains nearly forty species, all more or less brightly dressed in orange, yellow, and black, but not one is more beautiful than our Baltimore Oriole. There is reason to believe that he is not unaware of his own charms; indeed, we may almost suspect him of intentionally display- ing them. His splendor is not to be lost in the forest, and, whistling loudly, he flashes through our fruit and shade trees. He generally leaves to the female the task of constructing their wonderfully made nest, but he seems quite as deeply interested in the performance as if he were a skilled weaver himself ; indeed, he would probably assist if he were permitted. Young Orioles have been well named by Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller the cry-babies of the bird world. Their ceaseless call for food is almost as much a midsummer voice as the song of cicadas. Long after they have left the nest we may find them in the different trees about our lawn calling out monotonously and persistently dee-dee- dee-dee, until one of the parents arrives and momentarily stops their mouths. Bullock's Oriole (508. Icterus hullochi), a species of our "Western States, has been taken at Bangor, Maine. 509. Scolecophagus carolinus (Mull.). Eusty Blackbird. Ad. $, breeding plumage. — Entire plumacre uniform glossy bluish black; tail- feathers of nearly equal length. Ad. 6 in fall and winter plumage. — Simi- lar, but the upper parts widely tipped with rufous or rusty, the under parts similarly tipped with ochraceous- or cream-bufl"; a bufFy line over the eye. Ad. 9 in breeding plumage. — Slate-color, glossy above, duller below ; wings and tail darker and more glossy. Ad. 9 in fall and winter. — Similar, but somewhat lighter, the upper parts widely tipped with rufous or rusty, the under parts sunilarly tipped with ochraceous- or cream-buff. L., 9-55 ; W., 4-61 ; T., 3-52 ; B., -80. Range. — Breeds from New Brunswick and Manitoba northward to Labra- dor and Alaska ; winters from Virginia southward. Washington, common W. V., Oct. 25 to Apl. 25. Sing Sing, common T. v., Mch. 26 to May 8 ; Sept. 28 to Nov. 27. Cambridge, very common T. V., Mch. to May 5 ; Sept. and Oct. Nest, of twigs and coarse grasses lined with finer grasses, in coniferous trees or on the gi'ound. Eggs, four to seven, grayish green to pale green, thickly blotched with light and dark brown and purple, 1-00 x -76 (Cham- berlain). BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. 269 This bird is found during the migrations in small flocks on fresh- water meadows or about open, bushy swamps, feeding on the ground in alder thickets or along the edges of swampy woods. It resembles, more or less, the Rfd-winged Blackbird in size, flight, and notes, but unlike this species, with which it sometimes associates, it is compara- tively quiet and retiring. Only at times, in the spring, do we find the flocks musical centers, whence issues a confused medley of whistles, sweeter and higher-pitched than the best efforts of ,the Redwings. Little is known of this Blackbird in its northern home. It gathers into flocks early in the summer, and the most frequently heard note is a " cluck,'' not in the least characteristic. Its quiet demeanor, pale- yellow eye, and uniform color are its chief distinguishing characters in the field, where it may be mistaken for the Bronzed or Purple Grackle. The gray female is unlike the streaked female Redwing. J. DwiGHT, Jr. Brewer's Blackbird {510. Scolecophagus cyanocephalns) inhabits west- ern North America, and is of casual occurrence as far east as Illinois and Louisiana, and has been once recorded from South Carolina. It may be dis- tinguished from S. carolinus by its deep violet-purple head and the compara- tive absence of rusty tips to the feathers. 511. Quiscalus quiscula {Linn.). Purple Grackle ; Crow Black- bird. (See Fig. 46, c.) Ad. 6. — Head, neck, throat, and upper breast all around varying from brilliant metallic purple to bluish green or steel-blue ; back and rump varying from bottle-green to metallic purple or shining brassy green, the feathers with iridescent bars ; wings and tail externally metallic purple or bluish black ; lower breast and belly resembling the back but duller. Ad. 9 . — Much duller than the male, but the feathers of the back generally show- ing at least traces of iridescence. ,5 L., 12-00-13-50 ; W., 5-66 ; T., 5-18 ; B., 1-18. RemarTcs. — Intermediates between this and the Bronzed Grackle are found where their ranges adjoin, but typical quiscula always has iridescent bars on the feathers of the back, rump, and belly, while in ceveus these bars are want- ing. (On the relationships of this group see Chapman, Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., iv, 1892, pp. 1-20.) Range. — Breeds in the lower Mississippi Valley and east of the Allegha- nies from Georgia to Massachusetts ; winters in the Southern States. Washington, common T. V. and S. E., Feb. 20; a few winter. Sing Sing, tolerably common S. E., Feb. 15 to Nov. 8. Nest., bulky and compact, of mud and coarse grasses lined with finer grasses, in colonies, generally in coniferous trees about thirty feet up, some- times in bushes or holes in trees. Eggs, three to six, very variable, generally pale bluish or bluish green, singularly spotted, blotched, or scrawled with cinnamon-brown, umber, or black, but sometimes evenly speckled with brown- ish, and rarely almost solid cinnamon- or rufous- brown, 1-15 x -82. When winter gives signs of retreating there comes from the south in sable array the tried advance guard of the feathered army which is 270 BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, ETC. impatiently awaiting the order to advance. In close rank they come, phalanx after phalanx, to retake the land which winter — once conquer- ing, now defeated — yields to them. The air resounds to marshal music ; their harsh voices, united, rise in an inspiring chorus. The campaign over, they settle in colonies on their recently acquired possessions, and these careless rovers become so attached to their homes and families that they are rarely seen far from their vicinity. Some- times we may^ee them walking sedately over the lawns near their home, their glossy plumage gleaming in the light, and their yellow eyes giving them a peculiar, unbirdlike expression. But when their young are old enough to care for themselves the old habits return, and, leading their offspring into the world, they teach them the ways of wanderers. Meeting others of their kind, they join forces, and in the fall we find them in hordes ravaging the country. The Grackle's disposition is as gloomy as his plumage is dark. Life with him is a serious affair. He seems to utterly lack the Blue Jay's sense of humor. As a parent he is beyond reproach, and every moment is devoted to the care of his young, but it is all done in a joy- less way. Eggs and nestlings form part of his fare, and I can imagine bird-mothers frightening their young into obedience by theatened visits from that ogre, the Grackle. 511a. Q. q. aglSBUS {BaircT). Florida Grackle. Ad. 3 .—Head, neck, throat and upper breast all around metallic violet-purple ; back and rump rich bottle green, the feathers with more or less concealed iridescent bars ; wings and tail externally metallic purple or bluish black ; the wing- coverts generally with iridescent tips ; lower breast and belly similar to the back but duller. Ad. 9 . — Not distinguishable in color from the 9 of Q. quis- cula, but differing in size. W., 5-38 ; T., 4-90 ; F>., 1-25. Range. — Coast of South Carolina westward through central Georgia to the Mississippi ; south through Florida to Key West. This is a locally abundant bird, and is found in flocks throughout the year. In Florida it sometimes lives in the towns in which live- oaks grow, and it also makes its headquarters in cypress "bays," but its favorite resort is among the cabbage palmettos, upon the berries of which it feeds. 511b. Q. q. seneus {Ridgiv.). Bronzed Grackle; Crow Black- bird, u'id. $ .—Head, neck, throat, and upper breast all around varying from brilliant metallic purple to bluish green or steel-blue ; back metallic seal- bronze, the feathers witJiout iridescent hai^s ; wings and tail metallic pur- plish or bluish black ; lower breast and belly similar to the back but duller. Ad. 9 . — Much duller, the back and belly brownish, sometimes without me- tallic reflections and never with iridescent bars. W., 5-62; T., 5-04; B., 1-21. -ffa/i^(5.— Breeds from Texas to Great Slave Lake, east to the Alleghanies FINCHES, SPxVllROVVS, ETC. 271 as far north as Pennsylvania, and north of this eastward to Connecticut and northward to Labrador ; winters in the lower Mississippi Valley. Washington, rare T. V., between Feb. 20 and Apl. 15. Sing Sing, tolera- bly common T, V., Apl.; Nov. Cambridge, abundant S. E., Mch. to Oct.; occasional in winter. " The general habits of the Bronzed Grackle are in all respects identical with those of the Purple Grackle. . . . •' From an almost equal familiarity with the two birds we are able to say that their notes differ decidedly, especially those of the male during the breeding season, the 'song' of the western birds being very much louder and more musical or metallic than those of its eastern relative" (Ridgway). 513* Quiscalus major Vieill. Boat-tailed Grackle. Ad. 6. — Glossy bluish black ; head, throat, and breast more purplish, wings and tail more blackish. Ad. ? . — Much smaller, upper parts blackish brown, under parts soiled ochraceous-butf. $ L., 16-00; W., 7-50; T., 7-00; B., 1-55. Range. — Florida ; north along the Atlantic coast to Virginia ; west along the Gulf coast to Texas. JS^est^ bulky and compact, of grasses, seaweed, etc., with a median layer of mud or partially decayed vegetation, in colonies in bushes. £ggs.i three to five, pale bluish white, frequently tinged with vinaceous-brown, singularly spotted, blotched, and scrawled with purplish or blackish, 1"32 x -90. Boat-tail Grackles are rarely if ever found far from water. Shal- low lakes or marshy lagoons grown with aquatic plants are their fa- vorite resorts. Here they may be seen in small groups, which usually contain more males than females, walking or jumping from plant to plant, sometimes springing into the air to catch a passing insect, or wading along the shore in search of food. Their usual notes are hoarse, rather forced whistles; more rarely they utter a singular rolling call, which bears a close resemblance to the sound produced by a Coot in pattering over the water. Family FmNGiLLiDiE. Finches, Sparrows, etc. This, the largest family of birds, contains some five hundred and fifty species, which are represented in all parts of the world except the Australian region. Its members present wide diversity of form and habit, but generally agree in possessing stout, conical bills, which are admirably adapted to crush seeds. They are thus chief among seed-eaters, and for this reason are not so migratory as insect-eating soecies. The brown, streaked Sparrows are, to a large extent, field- or plam- inhabiting, and their neutral colors are therefore a means of protec- tion in the exposed situations they inhabit. The brighter Grosbeaks 272 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. and Finches are more arboreal. Many species take high rank as song ■ sters, and some of our favorite cage-birds belong to this family. KEY TO THE SPECIES. I. Under parts witli red. II. Under parts with no red and without distinct streaks ; throat or breast sometimes with a patch or spot. III. Under parts without red and with numerous streaks. I. Under parts with red. A. Wing-coverts plainly tipped with white or whitish, or with a white or yellow band in the wing. a. No red in the upper parts. a'. Back black, rump whitish, throat black, breast and under wing- coverts rosy red . . . 595. Eose-breasted Grosbeak ( S ad.). a2. Back and under parts streaked with black ; under wing-coverts rosy red 595. Eose-breasted Grosbeak ( $ im.). b. Red on upper parts coniined to crown or forehead, and sometimes a tinge on the rump ; wing under 3'25. b^. Eump and flanks generally without blackish streaks; feathers of back generally with whitish borders. 527. Greenland Eedpoll. 527«. Hoary Eedpoll. 6*. Eump and flanks always streaked ; feathers of back with little if any white and generally with brownish borders. 528. Eedpoll and races. b*. Back cinnamon-brown, unstreaked ; crown, nape, and sides of the neck black; a yellow band in the wing. European Goldfinch. c. Eed or pink spread more or less over entire upper parts ; wing over 3-25. c*. Tips of mandibles crossed. 522. White-winged Crossbill ( $ ad.). c2. Bill stout ; mandibles not crossed . 515. Pine Grosbeak ( $ ad.). B. Wing-coverts not tipped with white. a. Throat black or blackish ; wings and tail red ; body red or olive, 593. Cardinal. b. Thi-oat and more or less of under parts red or greenish red, Ji. Plumage blood-red, brownish red, or greenish red ; tips of the mandibles crossed 521, Am. Crossbill 6 , b^. Plumage dull reddish ; belly whitish ; back indistinctly streaked, with bristly feathers over the nostrils. 517, Purple Finch ( 6 ad.). b^. Head blue ; back green ; rump red. 601. Painted Bunting ( $ ad,), H. Under parts with no red and without distinct streaks ; throat or breast sometimes with a patch or spot. 1. Tail with wJiite spots, bars, or patches, A. Back plain, without streaks. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 273 a. Throat and breast black, brown, or slate-color, sharply defined from the white belly. a^. Breast black or brown ; sides rufous .... 587. Towhee. a^. Breast slate-color; sides the same, or brownish. 567. JuNco. 567^. Carolina J unco. h. Throat and belly more or less yellow or ashy. b^. Wing over -i-OO ; bill stout, greenish yellow. 514. Evening Grosbeak, b^. Bill small and sharp; back brown; throat yellowish. 52y. Goldfinch ( 9 and im.). is. Body bright yellow, cap black . . 529. Goldfinch ( $ ad.). c. Under parts pure white, middle of back black. 534. Snowflake. £. Back streaked with black, brown, or white. a. Bend of the wing yellow ; tail under 2-20. 546. Grasshopper Sparrow. b. Breast black or blackish ; lesser wing-coverts reddish brown. 539. McCown's Longspur S . c. Breast buffy ; belly whitish ; outer tail-feathers white, next three or four more or less white with a black band at the end ; seconda- ries not entirely white 539. McCown's Longspur 9 . d. Under parts entirely light brown or butfy, only two outer tail- feathers white ; no yellow on the bend of the wing. 537. Smith's Longspur. €. Under parts pure white, with a blackish spot on the center of the breast, a black stripe on the sides of the throat; sides of the crown and ear-coverts chestnut .... 552. Lark Sparrow. /, Wing slightly over 4-00; under parts pure white or washed with rusty ; head and rump white or rusty ; most of secondaries white. 534. Snowflake. Tail without large white spots or patches. A. Back plain, without distinct streaks. a. Back blue, bluish, or brownish blue. a}-. Wing over 3-00 ; lesser wing-coverts chestnut or with broad chestnut tips 597. Blue Grosbeak. a». Wing under 3-00 ; lesser wing-coverts blue or bluish, tipped with light brown 598. Indigo Bunting. h. Back green or greenish, or rump yellow or greenish yellow. 5». Mandibles not crossed. b^. Back greenish 601. Painted Buntin(3 9 . fc3. Back and under parts slaty gray ; bill black. 515. Pine Grosbeak ( 9 and im.). i*. Forehead, rump, under parts, and scapulars yellow or brown- ish yellow; secondaries white; bill yellow. 514. Evening Grosbeak 5 . c^. Mandibles crossed. c». Wing-bars white .... 522. White-winged Crossbill. c8. Without white wing-bars 521. Am. Crossbill. 19 274 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. c. Back brown or brownish, ashy, or slate-color. ci. Head and rump yellowish or reddish ; wing-bars white ; wing over 4-00 515. Pine Gkosbeak ( 9 and im.). c^. Under parts brownish cream-buff; wing-coverts with broad chestnut tips ; wing over 3-00 . . . 597. Blue Grosbeak 9 . c3. Under parts whitish ; wing without yellow and under 3-00. 598. Indigo Bunting 9 . c^. Back ashy ; spot before the eye and on bend of wing yellow. 550. Seaside ISparkow. B. Back distinctly streaked. a. Bend of the wing yellow. ai. Tail over 2-20. a2. A white throat-patch ; breast gray ; a yellowish line over the eye ....... 558. White-throated Sparrow. a3. A black spot on the throat; breast yellow, or both. 604. Dickcissel. a*. No yellow over the eye; breast ashy or buffy; outer tail- feathers much the shortest. 675. PiNE-wooDS Sparrow. 575a. Bachman's Sparrow. 61. Tail under 2-20, the feathers narrow and sharply pointed. 6'. Crown olive- brown, a blue-gray line tlirough its center; cheeks and breast ochraceous-butf. 549a. Nelson's Sparrow. 53. Crown blackish, a cream-buff line through its center. 546. Grasshopper Sparrow. h. Bend of the wing not yellow. h^. Crown bright reddish brown, the feathers sometimes tipped with ashy or brownish, but loitliout Hack streaks. h^. No white or whitish wing-bars; outer tail-feathers much shorter than middle ones; lesser wing-coverts, upper tail- coverts, and margins of most of the tail-feathers rufous; wing under 2-50 584. Swamp Sparrow. J3. Cheeks and throat ashy, a narrow reddish brown line from back of the eye to the nape, an indistinct black spot in the center of the breast 559. Tree Sparrow. J*. Eye-ring whitish, entire bill brownish flesh-color. 563. Field Sparrow. J5. Rump slaty gray; under parts generally all grayish white; forehead black, with a narrow grayish line in its middle, a narrow black line from back of the eye to the nape. 560. Chipping Sparrow. c*. Crown streaked or spotted with black or black and white. c". Crown with chestnut streaks, and sometimes a slight ashy line through its center; no white or whitish wing-bars; outer tail-feathers much shorter than middle ones. 584. Swamp Sparrow (Im.). cs. Crown with reddish brown ; rump ashy ; wing-bars buffy ; middle tail-feathers shortest. 560. Chipping Sparrow (Im.). FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 275 c*. Center of crown white ; the sides black ; wing-bars white. 554. WHITE-CROW.T!fED SPAEROW. c5. Crown grayish : mandibles crossed . 521, Am. Crossbill. d^. Crown mixed grayish brown and rufous, ashy, or slate-color, without black streaks. cfi. Wing 2-50 ; bill brownish flesh-color ; back rufous, streaked with black 563. Field Sparrow. i. Breast and sides distinctly streaked with black or blackish. 549. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. fc2. Breast and sides buff'y or brownish, the former generally without distinct black streaks . 549«. Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 5495. Acadian Sharp-tailed Sparrow. B. Crown of the same color as the back ; no butty line over the eye. a. A yellow spot before the eye and on the bend of wing. ai. Upper parts very dark brown or black ; the feathers edged with olive-gray or ashy, breast generally with black streaks. (Florida.) 550a. Scott's Seaside Sparrow. 551. Dusky Seaside Sparrow. o". Back olive-gray ; breast with grayish brown streaks. 550. Seaside Sparrow. b. No yellow before the eye ; bend of the wing yellow. 575. Pine-woods Sparrow. 575a. Bachman's Sparrow. c. No yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing. c». A broad cream- butt' band across the breast. 583. Lincoln's Sparrow. c^. No cream-buff' band on the breast ; streaks on the breast tending to form a spot in its middle 581. Song Sparrow. 3. Tail with white patches or base of tail yellow. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 277 A. Base of the tail yellow 533. Pine Siskin. £. Outer tail-feathers with white patches. a. Hind toe-nail shorter than the bill from the nostril. ai. Lesser wing-coverts rufous ; breast streaked witli black. 540. Vespkr Sparrow, a^. Sides of crown and ear-coverts chestnut ; a black spot on the cen- ter of the breast 552. Lark Sparrow. b. Hind toe-nail longer than bill from nostril. b'^. Under parts cream-butt'; two outer tail-feathers mostly white. 537. Smith's Longspur. V^. Under parts whitish ; breast streaked or spotted with black or entirely black ; second outer tail-feather with but little white. 536. Lapland Longspur. A Field Key to the Adult Male Finches and Sparrows of the Middle States (Virginia to Massachusetts; in Breeding Plumage. I. Breast with more or less yellow. II. Breast blue. III. Breast or throat red. IV. Breast without either yellow, blue, or red. I. Breast -with more or less yellow. A. Chin wliite, throat black; haunts grassy fields; song an unmusical effort of six or seven notes delivered with great earnestness from a low perch (rare east of the Alleglianies) GO-4. Dickcissel. £. Under parts and breast pure yellow, crown and wings black ; song a sweet canarylike warble; flight undulating, frequently accompanied by the notes chlc-o-ree^ per-chic-^o-ree 529. Goldfinch. H. Breast blue. A. Length over 6*00 ; plumage deep blue, a chestnut bar across the wrings (not found north of Virginia) 597. B'iae Grosbeak. B. Length under (5-00; plumage indigo-bluc; haunts woody fields, scrub or second growth ; song clear and musical, generally delivered from a tree-top 598. Indigo Bunting. HI. Breast or tlr?oat red. A. Length 8-00 ; throat and region about the base of the bill black, rest of the plumage bright vermilion-red; head with a conspicuous crest; song a rich, musical whistle ; call-note an insignificant cJieep / haunts thickets and bushy woodland (rare north of New York city). 593. Cardinal. B. Length 7*50; breast rose-red; belly, tip of the tail, rump, and a band in the wings white ; rest of the plumage black ; haunts wooded growths ; song loud, clear, and highly musical ; call-note a metallic /Je^^Z;. 595. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. C. Length under G-50; plumage more or less heavily washed with dull 278 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. reddish ; haunts orchards and wooded growths ; song a liquid warble ; call-note a metallic chink., frequently uttered while on the wing. 517. Purple Finch. D. Length about 0*00 ; plumage dull blood-red ; mandibles crossed at the tips ; generally found in small flocks in coniferous woods ; utters a clicking or whistled note when on the wing (rarely found south of New England after May 1) 521. Red Crossbill. E. Breast white, tinged with brown ; region about the bill red, a yellow band in the wings (rare except in the vicinity of New York city). European Goldfinch. IV. Breast without either yellow, red, or blue. 1. Under parts distinctly streaked or spotted. A. Outer tail-feathers white, showing conspicuously when the bird flies ; haunts dry fields and roadsides ; song loud and musical. 540. Vesper Sparrow. B. Outer tail-feathers not white. a. Song loud and musical ; an abundant and familiar bird of gen- eral distribution ; spots on the breast tending to form one larger spot in the center ; crown umber, a whitish line over the eye. 581, Song Sparrow. h. Song not loud and musical ; short and generally unattractive ; haunts wet meadows or marshes; passes most of the tune on the ground, rarely perching far from it, and when flushed generally returning to it. h^. A butfy line over the eye and at the side of the throat, breast generally washed with buffy ; haunts only salt marshes (rarely found far from the vicinity of the seashore.) 549. Sharp-tailed Sparrow. J*». No buff" on the sides of the head or breast ; upper parts black- ish; song tsiip-Uip-Uip'se-e-e-s'r-r-r ; rarely breeds south of New York city ; haunts both salt- and fresh-water marshes. 642a. Savanna Sparrow. b^. Back reddish, head and neck buff'y olive ; haunts generally wet pastures ; song an inconspicuous see-wich (rather rare, liv- ing in small colonies of local distribution). 547. Henslow's Sparrow. 2. Under parts not distinctly streaked or spotted. A. Throat pure white, sharply defined from the grayish breast, a yellow spot over the eye; crown black, with a central stripe of white; haunts thickets or bushy woodlands; song a high, clear, musical whistle ; call-note a sharp chink. 558. White-throated Sparrow. B. Throat and breast black. a. Sides of the throat and belly white, crown' ash, sides of the head chestnut -P. 282. House Sparrow, b. Length 8*00 ; sides of the body light rufous, outer tail-feathers tipped with white ; haunts thickets and bushy woodlands ; call- note a vigorous towhee or chee-wink 587. Towhee. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 279 C. Throat and breast slate-color, like the back ; belly and outer tail- feuthers white ; bill tlesh-color (nests in tlie Middle States only on the higher parts of the Alleghanies) 567. Junco. D. Under parts white or whitish, practically all one color. a. Haunts wet marshes. a>. Haunts always salt marshes, generally near the sea; back grayish 550. Seaside Sparrow. a". Haunts both salt- and fresli-water marshes ; back brown, streaked with black ; cap and wings chestnut ; song a loud, sharp, rapidly repeated weet-weet-weet, etc. 584. Swamp Sparrow. b. Haunts dry fields, pastures, roadsides, lawns, thickets, etc. h^. Outer tail-feathers white, middle of the breast with a small black spot (not found east of the Alleghanies). 552. Lark Finch, c^. Outer tail-feathers not white. c8. Upper parts reddish-brown, bill pinkish flesh-color; haunts bushy fields and pastures; song a musical, plaintive cher- wee^ cher-wee, cher-wee^ cheeo-dee-dee-dee-dee-dee. 563. Field Sparrow, c3. Bill dark brown, a buffy line through the center of the ground; song an in^Qai-YikQ pit-tuk^ zee-zee-zee-zee-zee. 546. Grasshopper Sparrow. 0*. Back streaked with black, cap chestnut, a white line over the eye, bill black ; song a monotonous chippy-chippy- chippy., etc 560. Chipping Sparrow. . Larger, length about 7*00; crown black, with a white central stripe ; throat not noticeably ditferent from the breast ; no yellow over the eye (rare ; nests north of New England) .- 554. White-crowned Sparrow, 514. Cocothraustes vespertinus (Coop.). Evening Grosbeak. Ad. 6 .—Forehead yellow, crown black ; sides of head olive-brown, becoming dull yellow on rump; belly and scapulars yellow, wings and tail black; end half of the secondaries and their coverts Avhite. Ad. 9 . — Brownish gray, lighter on the under parts, more or less tinged with yellow, especially on the nape ; wings black, inner primaries white at the base, secondaries edged with white; tail black, the feathers tipped with white on the inner web; upper tail-coverts black tipped with white. L., 8-00 ; W., 4-50 ; T., 3-50 ; B., 72. Bunge. — Interior of North America, from Manitoba northward ; southeast- ward in winter to the upper Mississippi Valley and casually to the northern Atlantic States. Cambridge, known to have occurred only in winter of 1889-'90. Ji^est., known but from few specimens, composed of small twigs lined with bark, hair, or rootlets, placed within twenty feet of the ground. J^ffffs, three to four, greenish, blotched with pale brown (see Davie). This distinguished inhabitant of the far north w^est is a common winter visitant in Manitoba and the contiguous parts of the bordering 280 FINCPIES, SPARROWS, ETC. States. At irregular intervals it invades the northern Mississippi Valley in numbers, while still more rarely it extends its wanderings to the north Atlantic States. It travels in flocks of from six or eight to sixty individuals which by their tameness show their ignorance of man and his ways. They feed largely on the buds or seeds of trees — maple, elder, and box elder. Their notes are described by different observers as a shrill " cheevy-teetr and a " frog-like peep,'' while one writer remarks that " the males have a single metallic cry like the note of a trumpet, and the females a loud chattering like the large Cherry Birds {Ampelis garruhis).'''' Their song is given as a wander- ing, jerky warble, beginning low, suddenly increasing in power, and as suddenly ceasing, as though the singer were out of breath. During the winter and early spring of 1890 there was a phenom- enal incursion of Evening Grosbeaks into the Northern States, ac- counts of which, by Amos W. Butler, will be found in The Auk, ix, 1892, pp. 238-247 ; x, 1893, pp. 155-157. 515. Pinicola; enucleator {Linn.). Pine Grosbeak, Ad. 6 . — Slaty gray, more or less strono-ly washed Avith rose-red, strongest on the crown, rump, upper tail-coverts, and breast ; wings fuscous, their, coverts edged with white ; tail fuscous. Ad. 9 . — Slaty gray, crown, upper tail-cov- erts, and breast more, or less strongly waslied with olive-yellow ; wings and tail as in the 5 . /m.— Kesembles the 9 . L., 9-08 ; W., 4-36 ; T., 3-67 ; B., -54. Range. — " Northern portions of the nortliern hemisphere, breeding far north ; in winter south, in North America, irregularly to the northern United States." Washington, casual in winter. Sing Sing, irregular W. V., Dec. 18 to Apl. 12. Cambridge, irregular W. V., frequently common, sometimes abun- dant, Nov. to Mch. Ned, of twigs and rootlets lined with finer materials, in coniferous trees a few feet up. Eggs, " pale greenish blue, spotted and blotched with dark brown surface mai'kings and lilac shell-spots, 1-05 x -74." The Pine Grosbeak, like the Spruce Partridge and Canada Jay, may be said to find its true home in the coniferous forest or Canadian belt, which crosses the continent diagonally from Maine to Alaska. Like many of its congeners in this inhospitable region, it nests so early in the springtime that the winter's frost and snow are still dominant among the evergreens when the eggs come to claim the at- tention of the pair. Its habits at this season are but little known, as very few natural- ists have had the opportunity of seeing it in its native pine wood. But in midwinter, when it comes southward in search of food, it is a well-known frequenter, in flocks, of plantations of mountain-ash trees, or groups of sumach bushes, whose unfallen berries provide it with a bountiful supply of nourishing diet. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 281 It is said to make an admirable cage-bird, as it readily takes to confinement, and during the springtime has a prolonged and melo- dious song. Its form has a general resemblance to that of the common Robin, but its very short, thick beak and its forked tail are striking differ- ences. It is rather slow and inactive when in a tree, and when on the wing it has a loud whistle which is very characteristic ; at all times its colors, as above described, should distinguish the bird at a very considerable distance. Ernest E. Thompson. 517. Carpodacus purpureilS (GmeL). Purple Finch. Ad. $. — Entire body .sutiused with rose-red, strongest on the head, rump, and breast, more brownish on the back ; whiter, gen- erally white, on the belly ; wings and tail brownish fuscous, the outer webs of th( feathers finely edged with rose-red ; a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils ; outer tail - feathers longest. Ad. 9 . — Very different, sparrowlike in appearance ; upper parts dark grayish brown, linely streaked with black ; wings and tail dark grayish brown; under parts white, streaked, or with wedge- shaped spots of fuscous. L., 6-22 ; W., 3-24 ; T., 2-29 ; B., -45. Bemarl's. — Females bear a decided resemblance to some Sparrows, but the rounded bill, tufts of feathers over the nostrils guishing characters. Jtange.—Eaatern North America ; breeds from northern Minnesota and Long Island northward ; winters from the northern States to the Gulf. Washington, common W. V., Sept. 15 to May 15, largely a migrant. Sing Sing, rare P. R., common T. V. Cambridge, P. K., very common from Mch. to Oct. ; irregular, but sometimes abundant, in winter. J\^est, of twigs, grasses, and rootlets, thickly lined with long hairs, in conif- erous trees, five to thirty feet up. I^(/gs^ four to six, blue, spotted about the larger end with fuscous, '79 x -56. During the nesting season the Purple Finch frequently takes up its abode in private grounds, even becoming a familiar garden bird, while others of its race find a congenial home in wild mountain forests, far away from the society of man. The rosy plumage of the males makes it attractively noticeable as a garden bird ; but a serious offense must be charged against it — it has far too ready a taste for the blos- soms of fruit trees, and is perhaps the most confirmed bud-eater of all our birds. It has naturally a roving disposition, and, in the autumn especially, seems ever to be impelled by some restless impulse. At this -Purple Finch. size.) (Natural and forked tail are distl 282 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. season it may often be seen descending with airy, sweeping flight into some leafless treetop, as if from a far atrial journey, its identity made known by its very characteristic utterance, a short, rather dull-sound- ing note, scarcely metallic — the metal pressed the instant the bell is struck. Although the Purple Finch often essays to sing in the autumn and earliest spring, its full powers of voice belong alone to the nuptial season. Then it easily takes its place among our noteworthy song birds. Its full song is a sweet-toned, carelessly flowing warble — not too brief to miss definite character as a song, and positive enough in modulation and delivery to find ready place in the memory. At times, indeed, its singing is of a character not to be easily forgotten. The song bursts forth as if from some uncontrollable stress of gladness, and is repeated uninterruptedly over and over again, while the ecstatic bird rises high into the air, and, still singing, descends into the trees. Eugene P. Bicknell. Pa>sser domesticus {Linn.). House Sparrow ; English Sparrow. Ad. . — Tips of the mandibles crossed ; bo^ly dull pink, brighter on the rump, more 284 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. or less marked with black on the back ; belly whitish ; wings and tail black, the greater and middle wing-coverts, and sometimes tertials, tipped with white. Ad. 9 . — Dull olive-green, yellow on the rump, grayer on the under parts, mottled with blackish on the head and back ; wings and tail as in the 6 . Im. $ . — Similar to 9 , but passes through a party-colored plumage while becoming mature, and, as in the preceding species, is subject to much variation. L., 6-05 ; W., 3-27 ; T., 2-41 ; B., -62. Raruje. — Breeds from the Northern States northward ; in winter wanders irregularly southward, sometimes reaching Illinois and Virginia. Washington, casual. Sing Sing, rare T. V., Oct. 29 to Dec. 6. Cambridge, irregular W. V. Nest., of twigs and strips of birch bark, covered exteriorly w^ith moss ( Usnea)., and lined with soft moss and hair, on the fork of an evergreen in deep forests. Eggs., three (?), pale blue, spotted and streaked near larger end with reddish brown and lilac, -80 x -55 (Chamberlain). Colonel Goss writes that in general habits these birds resemble the American Crossbill. Their flight is swift and undulating. While feeding and moving about they are quite noisy, almost constantly uttering a plaintive wheep or cheeping note. Their song is low, soft, and sweet, much like that of the American Goldfinch. 527. Acanthishorneinannii(//o^^.). Greenland Eedpoll.— Simi- lar to the next, but "larger (length about 5'50-6*50), with proportionally thicker and less acute bill. $ W., 3-37 ; T., 2*75 ; exposed culmen, -35 ; depth ofB. at base, -31." Range. — " Northern Greenland (breeding from 69°-73° N. latitude) and eastern arctic America, south to Labrador in winter" (Kidgw.). 527a. A. h. exilipes (Coues). Hoary Kedpoll. Ad. 4 .—Bill very sharply pointed, a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils ; crown-cap bright red ; back dark grayish brown, the feathers more or less margined with white ; rump white, generally unstreaked, and tinged with pink ; wings and tail brownish fuscous, the feathers all more or less edged with white ; middle of the throat blackish, breast tinged with pink, belly white, a few streaks on the side. Ad. 9 . — Similar, but with no pink on the rump or breast. Itn. — Similar to the 9, but without the red crown-cap. L., 5-00; W., 3-00; T., 2-30 ; B., -30. Remarks. — This species is to be distinguished from Acanthis linaria and its races by the greater amount of white in its plumage, its unstreaked rump, and comparatively unstreaked under parts. Ratige.— Arctic regions; south in winter rarely to the northern United States. Cambridge, casual W. V. Nest., of grass and twigs lined with feathers, in a low tree or on the ground. Eggs., three to five, white, tinged with blue or green, spotted with reddish brown, -05 x -50 (Chamberlain). 528. Acanthis linaria {Linn.). Eedpoll. Ad. $ .—B'\\\ very sharply pointed, a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils ; crown-cap FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 285 bright red ; back fuscous grayish brown, the feathers margined with ochra- ceous-butf; rump tinged with pink ; wings and tail fuscous, the feathers more or less edged with whitish ; middle of the throat blackish, breast suffused with pink, belly white, sides streaked with fuscous, ill 9 .—Similar, but without pink on the rump or breast, the sides more heavily streaked. Im. — Similar to the 9 , but without a red crown- cap. L.,5-32; W., 2-80; T., 2-32; B.,-36; depth of B. at base, -22. Range. — Breeds in the northern parts of the northern hemisphere ; in winter migrates irregularly southward, in America, to Illinois and Virginia. Washington, very rare and irregular W. V. Fig. 80. -Redpoll. (Natural Sing Sing, irregular W. V., Nov. 25 to Mch. 26. Cambridge, irregular W. V., often very abundant, Oct. 25 to Apl. 10. Nest^ of dry grass and moss lined with hair, feathers, or plant down, in a low tree or tuft of grass. Eggs., four to six, white, tinged with green or blue, spotted with reddish brown, -65 x -50 (Chamberlain). The little Redpoll is one of those birds that are best known as win- ter visitors. Sometimes it comes from the north in flocks when driven from home by the annual failure of the food supply, and speedily at- tracts attention by frequenting the gardens and orchards, even when these are within the limits of a town. In general habits it resembles a Goldfinch, and while with us it finds its wants supplied chiefly by the various grasses and herbs which project through the snow and still retain their seed in spite of wind and weather. It is noted for its affectionate and confiding disposition, and although it is not known to breed in captivity it has always proved an easily tamed and inter- esting pet. Ernest E. Thompson. 528a. A. 1. holboellii (Brehm). Holbcell's Eedpoll.— Similar to A. linaria., but larger, the bill longer. W., 3-20 ; T., 2*35 ; B., -38 ; depth of B. at base, -22. Range.—'-' Northern coasts of Europe and Asia (Norway to Japan), and portions of Alaska"; casual in eastern jSorth America. This is an intermediate between A. linaria and A. I. rostrata, most closely approaching the former, from which it sometimes can with difficulty be distinguished. It is an exceedingly rare bird in eastern North America, where there are but two records of its occurrence : Quebec (Ridgway) and Massachusetts (Brewster). 538b. A. 1. rostrata {Coues). Greater Redpoll. — Similar to A. linaria^ but larger, the margin to the feathers of the upper parts averaging darker, the bill shorter and stouter. L., 5-50; W., 3-20; T., 2-55 ; B., -35; depth of B. at base, -28. 286 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Range. — " Southern Greenland in summer, migrating south, in winter, through Labrador to (sparingly) the northern border of the United States (New England, lower Hudson Valley, northern Illinois, etc.), and west to Manitoba" (Kidgw.). Sing Sing, A. V. Cambridge, irregular W. V,, Nov. to Feb. " The Greater Redpoll is often rather common, and in February, 1883, it occurred along the seacoast near Boston in positive abundance. On the 19th of this month Mr. Spelman and I took thirteen specimens at Revere Beach in about two hours ; and on the 22d, at Nantasket Beach, two young collectors, by a few random shots into an excep- tionally large, mixed flock of Redpolls, secured forty specimens, of which six proved to be A. linaria and thirty-four rostrata. "As one sees them in winter in New England, the forms just men- tioned, with A. honiemannii exilipes, do not differ appreciably in notes, habits, or general appearance. It is true that A. I. rostrata may be often recognized by its superior size, but the birds as a rule are so nervous and restless, and when in large flocks so constantly in motion and so likely to depart altogether at any moment, that a free use of the gun is ordinarily indispensable to positive identification " (Brewster, Minot's Land Birds and Game Birds, 2d ed., App., p. 472). 529. Spinus tristis {Linn,.). American Goldfinch; Yellow- bird ; Thistle-bird. Ad. <5 . — Crown-cap black ; back and under parts bright yellow ; wings black, the coverts and secondaries tipped with white ; tail black, the feathers with white on their inner webs. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts grayish brown with an olive tinge ; wings and tail as in the 5 , but somewhat more dusky and the white markings less distinct ; under parts whitish, washed with buffy brown and more or less tinged with yellow, espe- cially on the throat. Ad. $ in winter. — Similar to tlie ad. 9 , but with the wings and tail as in summer. L., 5-10 ; W., 2-82 ; T., 195 ; B., -40. Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from South Carolina to southern Labrador; winters from the northern United States to the Gulf. Washington, common P. E. Sing Sing, common P. R. Cambridge, very common P. R. Nest., externally of fine grasses, strips of bark, and moss, thickly lined with thistle down, in trees or bushes, five to thirty feet 'Up. Eggs.^ three to six, pale bluish white, -65 x -48. Except when nesting. Goldfinches are generally found in small flocks. Few birds seem to enjoy life more than these merry rovers. Every month brings them a change of fare, and in pursuit of fresh dainties the nesting-time is delayed almost until summer begins to wane. Seed-bearing plants, whether in field or garden, form their larder ; the old sunflowers rattle before their vigorous attack ; the thistles spring into sudden blossom of black and gold as they swing from the nodding heads. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 287 Their flight is expressive of their joyous nature, and as they bound through the air they hum a gay Their love song is delivered with an ecstasy and abandon which car- ries them off their feet, and they circle over the fields sowing the air with music. The song has a canarylike character, and while it is less varied it possesses a wild, ringing quality wanting in the cage-bound bird's best efforts. The Black-headed Goldfinch {532. Spiiius notatus), a Mexican species, is recorded by Audubon from Kentucky, where its occurrence is, of course, purely accidental. 533. Spinus pinus ( Wils.). Pine Siskin ; Pine Finch. Ad.—W\\\ sharply pointed, a small tuft of bristly feathers over the nostrils ; upper parts streaked with black, the feathers margined with bufty ; wings fuscous, most of the feathers margined with yellow, and yellow at the base ; tail fuscous, all but the uiiddle feathers yellow at the base ; uuder ptftts white, tinged with butfy and heavily streaked with black. L., 5-00; W., 2*76; T., 1-90; B., -40. Kemarhs. — The yellow markings in the wings and tail of this species will always serve to distingulsii it. Range. — North America generally; breeds mostly north of the United States ; winters as far south as the Gulf. Washington, irregularly abundant W. V., Oct. to Apl. Sing Sing, irregu- lar P. E. Cambridge, irregular W. V., Sept. to May ; sometiuies very abun- dant. Kest., of twigs and rootlets, lined with plant down and long hairs, in conif- erous trees. Eggs., four, pale bluish white, thinly spotted with reddish brown, •67 X -46. Like the American Crossbill, this bird is rather erratic in its move- ments, and its presence or absence at any season can never be predicted with certainty. It resembles the American Goldfinch in habits, but is more often found about coniferous trees, and its notes and song are less musical. It has been found nesting in May at Sing Sing, N. Y. (Fisher), and at Cornwall-on-Hudson (Allen). Carduelis carduelis (Linn.). European Goldfinch. Ad. — Region about the base of the bill bright red ; crown, and a stripe extending from it on to the sides of the neck, black; back cinnamon-brown; wings black, crossed by a broad yellow band; tail black, the inner webs of the feathers tipped with white ; under parts white, the sides tinged with the color of the back. L., 5-50 : W., 3-00 ; T., 2-95 ; B., -50. 288 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Ranrje. — " Europe generally, except extreme northern part " (Sharpe). In- troduced near New York city and Boston. 2<S'tcam5.). Smith's Longspur. Ad. 5 iyi sum- mer.— Top and sides of the head black, a line over the eye and the ear-coverts 20 290 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. white; back and rump streaked with black and ochraceous-buft'; lesser wing- coverts black, broadly tipped with white ; tail fuscous, the two outer feathers mostly .white ; nape and under parts ochraceous-buff. Ad. 2 in summer. — Upper parts black, the feathers margined and tipped with pale cream-buff; two outer tail-feathers mostly white ; under parts pale cream-buff; breast and sides sometimes lightly streaked with blackish. $ in winter. — Similar to ? in summer, but with thje lesser wing-coverts black, tipped with whit'e. L., 6-60 ; W., 3-75 ; T., 2-50 ; B., -42. Range. — Interior of arctic America (chiefly Mackenzie Eiver Valley) in summer, breeding north to the arctic coast and upper Yukon Valley; south, in winter, over the Great Plains and prairies to Illinois, Texas, etc. Nesting^ similar to that of the preceding. " Their habits are quite similar to those of P. lapponimis while upon the ground. . . . When flushed they invariably uttered a sharp clicking note, rapidly repeated several times. When driven from their feeding place by my approach they would rise in a loose flock, and, after wheeling about a few times, start off in a direct line, gradually rising higher until they disappeared. After a short time their pecul- iar note would be heard, and, darting down from a considerable height, they would alight near the place from which they were driven" (Nelson). The Chestnut-collared Longspur {538. Calcarius ornatus), a species of the Great Plains, has been recorded from Massachusetts and Long Island. McCown's Longspur {539. Rhy ncTiovhanes mccownii), a species of the Great Plains of the interior, is of casual occurrence in Illinois. 540. Poocsetes gramineus {Gmel.). Vesper Sparrow; Bay- winged Bunting ; Grass Finch. .4 Ammodraiinus lecontei (^mc/.)* Leconte's Sparrow. Ad. — No yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing ; a broad ochraceous-butf line over the eye, and a cream-buff Une through the center of the blackish crown; nape rufous-brown, each feather with a small black central spot and an ashy border ; back black, the feathers margined first by rufous, then cream- butf and whitish ; tail grayish brown, with a slight rufous tinge, darker along the shaft; the feathers narrow and sharply pointed, the outer ones much the shortest ; breast and sides tinged with butfy, and more or less streaked with black; belly white. L., 5-00; W., 2-00; T., 2-05; B., -35. Range. — " Great Plains and more western prairies, breeding from Dakota, Minnesota, etc., to Manitoba, migrating southward and eastward, in winter, through Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, etc., to South Carolina, and Gulf States from Florida to Texas " (Eidgw.). Nest., of fine grasses, on the ground. JEggs^ three, delicate pink, lightly- spotted with brownish and black near the larger end, -75 x -50 (Thompson). My experience on the coast of Texas with this elusive little Spar- row conforms with that of most observers, and the few specimens I found were in wet marshes. Mr. L. M. Loomis, however, tells us that at Chester, South Carolina, where Leconte's Sparrow is a locally com- mon winter visitant, it shows a marked preference for dry "old fields" of broom sedge (Auk, ii, 1885, p. 190). Few birds are more difficult to flush. It exhibits a rail-like disin- clination to take wing, and, flying low and feebly, makes for the nearest cover. Ernest E. Thompson records it as an abundant summer resi- dent in the willow sloughs and grassy flats of Manitoba, and describes its call-notes as a thin, sharp, ventriloquial tiveet, and a single, long- drawn hizz ; while its song, which is delivered from some low. perch a little above the grass, is a tiny, husky, double-noted reem reese, " so thin a sound and so creaky, that I believe it is usually attributed to a grasshopper." 549. Ammodramus caudacutus {Gmel.). Sharp-tailed Spar- row. Ad. — General color of tlie upper parts a brownish olive-green; crown olive-brown, with a blue-gray line through its center; gray ear-coverts, in- closed by ochraceous-buff lines, one of which passes over the eye and one down the side of the throat ; feathers of the back margined with grayish and sometimes whitish; bend of the wing yellow; tail-feathers narrow and sharply pointed, the outer feathers much the shortest; breast and sides washed with bufty, paler in summer, and distinctly streaked with black ; middle of the throat and belly white or whitish. " L., 5-85 ; W., 2-30 ; T., 1-90 ; B., -50" (Dwight). 296 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Remarlcs. — The chief points of difference between this and the two fol- lowing birds are found in the markings of the breast and sides. In the pres- ent species these parts are pale ochraceous-butf", distinctly streaked with blackish ; in nelsoni they are deep ochraceous-butf, liglitly if at all streaked ; in suhvirgatm they are cream-buff, indistinctly streaked witli grayish. Range. — Atlantic coast; breeds from South Carolina to New Hampshire, and winters from North Carolina to Florida. Cambridge, common S. R,, May to Sept. Nest, of grasses and seaweed, lined with fine grasses, on the ground. Eggs, three to four, white or grayish white, finely speckled with cinnamon-brown, especially at the larger end, -78 x -57. This species is confined exclusively to the salt-water marshes of our coast, where it may be found in large numbers. It runs about among the reeds and grasses with the celerity of a mouse, and is not apt to take wing unless closely pressed. Mixed flocks of the several varieties of the Sharp-tail, together with the Seaside Sparrow, gather in the fall among the sedges, and may be observed hiding in the grass or cling- ing to the tall stalks of the cat-tails. In the breeding season it is usually associated with the Seaside Sparrow on the same marsh, but it prefers the .drier parts, and builds its nest in the tussocks on the bank of a ditch or in the drift left by the tide, rather than in the grassier sites chosen by its neighbor. From some bit of driftwood or a convenient stake its infrequent song may be heard morning and evening. It is short and gasping, and only less husky than the somewhat similar performance of the Seaside Sparrow. J. Dwight, Jr. 549a. A. C. nelsoni Allen. Nelson's Shakp-tailed Sparrow. — Sim- ilar to A. eaudacutus, but smaller, the upper parts darker, the feathers of the back more olive-brown and more \)Voa.di\y margined with whitish ; the throat, breast, and sides deeper ochraceous-buff, very slightly if at all streaked with blackish. " L., 5-50 ; W., 2-25 ; T., 1-90 ; B., -43 " (Dwight). Range. — Breeds in the marshes of the interior from northern Illinois northward to Dakota and Manitoba; occurs as a migrant on the Atlantic coast, and winters from South Carolina to Texas. Washington, rare T. V., two instances, Sept. Sing Sing, tolerably com- mon T. v., Sept. 28 to Oct. 17. This interior representative of the Sharp-tailed Sparrow occurs on our coasts only as a migrant and winter visitant. It associates with the Sharp-tailed and Acadian Sharp-tailed Sparrow. 549b. A. C. subvirgatus Diviqld. Acadian Sharp-tailed Spar- Row. — Similar to A. cavdacutus, but with the throat, breast, and sides washed with cream-buff and indistinctly streaked with ashy. " L., 5'55 ; W., 2*30 ; T., 2-00; B., -46" (Dwight). Range. — " Marshes of southern New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 207 and probably Nova Scotia, and southward in migration along the Atlantic coast" (Dwiglit). Sing Sing, rare T. V., Sept. 29 to Oct. 16. Cambridge, very common T. v., May ; Sept. and Oct. Since this race was separated by me in 1887 few new facts have been developed regarding it, except that, as I anticipated, it has been found in other parts of the Maritime Provinces, and never far from salt water. While frequenting brackish or fresh-water marshes, where the grasses grow more luxuriantly than in the haunts of its southern relative, it prefers the more open spots or those where damp ditches make high- ways of escape for it afoot. It is locally abundant, particularly in the great marshes that border the Bay of Fundy, but so retiring that, save for its little song, its presence might be easily overlooked. Swaying on a tall stalk of meadow rue or squatting on a convenient fence, the males may be found at all hours of the day repeating their song a few times and then flying to some new perch or burying themselves in the grass. Occasionally toward nightfall one will mount into the air and with set wings float down, fairly gushing with song, a habit shared by the ordinary Sharp-tail and by the Seaside Sparrow as well. With these birds they associate in autumn, and may be flushed one or two at a time from the strips of grass or reeds that are left on the salt marshes along the ditches after the hay has been cut. The song is a husky, gasping effort, not very loud, and executed with a nod of the head. It is sung in less than a second, and resem- bles ksh-sh-sh-du/p, the last syllable occupying one fifth of the time and rather musical compared with the harsh lisp that precedes it. They also have a tchep of alarm, but it is the exception for them to show much anxiety about their nests or young. The nest has never been taken. J. Dwicht, Jr. 550. Ammodramus maritimus ( WUs.). Seaside Sparrow. Ad. — A yellow line before the eye and on the bend of the wing ; upper parts grayish olive-green; tail grayish brown, the outer webs of the feathers mar- gined with olive-greenish ; a dusky line from the base of the lower mandi- ble passes down the sides of the throat; breast more or less suffused with huffy (wanting in summer specimens), and indistinctly streaked with grayish ; throat and middle of the belly white; sides grayish. L., 6-00 ; W., 2-50 ; T., ^i®- 84.-Seaside Sparrow. (Natural O »/ 7 7 7 7 7 OT»/i A 2-20 ; B., -60. Range. — Atlantic coast ; breeds from Georgia to Massachusetts, and win- ters from Virginia to Georgia. Sing Sing^ A. V. 298 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. Nest^ of coarse grasses and reed stalks, lined with grasses, on the ground. Eggs^ three to four, white or bluish white, clouded or finely speckled with cinnamon-brown, especially at the larger end, -80 x -63. Like most marsh-loving birds, Seaside Sparrows are so consistent in their choice of a home that it would be quite useless to look for them anywhere but in a naarsh, and that a salt one, generally within sound or at least sight of the sea. The bay men call them " Meadow Chippies," and often when Snipe and Plover shooting 1 have drawn numbers to me by simply squeaking. They tipped all the reeds about my blind, chirping excitedly at the peculiar sound which aroused their curiosity. They pass much of their time on the ground among the reeds and grasses, but mount a stalk to sing their short, unattract- ive song of four or five notes. Sometimes they flutter into the air a few feet above the reeds and deliver their song while on the wing. The absence of distinct streaks on the breast and lack of rufous in their olivaceous or grayish plumage will distinguish them from the Sharp-tailed, Swamp, Savanna, or Song Sparrows, the only ones which are likely to be found in their haunts. ' 550a. A. m. peninsulse Allen. Scott's Seaside Sparrow. — Similar to the preceding, but much darker ; prevailing color of the upper parts brown- ish black, the feathers margined with grayish olive-green ; under parts more heavily streaked, the breast and sides streaked with black or blackish. W., 2-30 ; T., 2-00 ; B., -52. Range. — Atlantic coast from northern Florida to South Carolina; Gulf coast from Florida to Texas. A common southern representative of the Seaside Sparrow. 551* Ammodramus nigrescens Ridgiv. Dusky Seaside Sparrow. Ad. — Upper parts blacky narrowly margined with grayish and grayish olive- green ; under parts sharply streaked with black and white in about equal proportions. " L., 5-95; W., 2-25-2-40 ; T., 2a0-2-50: B., -.W-'GO" (Kidgw.). Remarlcs. — This species is very distinct, and can bo at once distinguished from A. m. peninsulce., its nearest known ally, by its much darker upper parts and conspicuously streaked under parts. Range. — Marshes at the northern end of Indian Kiver, Florida. JS^est and eggs unknown. Mr. C. J. Maynard, the only collector who has ever met with this species, found a single individual, March 17, 1872, at Salt Lake, near Titusville, while in April it was " quite common on the marshes of Indian River just below Dummett's Grove," and " very abundant on the upper end of Merritt's Island." I have searched for it most care- fully, but without success, during February and March in the marshes of the east peninsula of Indian River opposite Micco, and for a species which is not rare, the Dusky Seaside Sparrow apparently has a more FINCPIES, SPARROWS, ETC. 29i) restricted range than any other North American bird. Mr. Maynard considers it migratory, and states that it is not found in Florida during the winter. In flight as well as in habits, he says, it resembles the Sharp-tailed rather than the Seaside Sparrow (A. maritimus). Its song of low, sputtering notes is given while the bird hovers in the air, after which it drops quickly into the grass. 552. Chondestes grammacus {Sat/). Lark Sparrow; Lark Finch. Ad.Sides of the crown and ear-coverts chestnut, a whitish line over the eye and through the center of the crown ; a black streak on the sides of the throat ; upper parts brownish ash ; back streaked with blackish ; tail fuscous or black, the outer feathers tipped with white; under parts white, a small black spot in the middle of the breast. L., 6-25 ; VV., 3-50 ; T., 2-75 ; B., -45. Kange. — Interior of North America, eastward to Illinois ; breeds from Texas to Manitoba ; accidental on the Atlantic coast (Massachusetts, Long Island, New Jersey, District of Columbia, Florida). Washington, A. V., July, Aug., two captures. -^^^^ 85.— Lark Sparrow. (Natural Nest^ of grasses, lined with rootlets, fine grasses, and long hairs, on the ground or in low trees or bushes. Eggs^ three to five, white or pinkish white, spotted, blotched, or scrawled witb pur- plish or black, chiefly at the larger end, -78 x -60. This is an exceedingly common bird in the west. It frequents localities of much the same nature as those selected by the Grass Finch, and in its general habits and song reminds one of that species. 554. Zonotrichia leucophrys {Forst.). White-crowned Spar- row. Ad. — No yellow before the eye or on the bend of the wing; center of the crown with a white stripe bordered on either side by black stripes, all of about equal width ; no white before the eye ; a white line from over the eye passes backward along the side of the head; nape gray; back dark grayish brown, margined with gray ; rump dark brownish ash ; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with white ; tail fuscous ; under parts grayish white on the belly, flanks and under tail-coverts cream-buft". Im. — Generally similar, but sides of the crown rufous-brown, center of the crown pale grayish brown; nape brownish ash ; back margined with the same color. L., 6-88 ; W., 3-03 ; T., 2-88 ; B., -43. Kange. — " Breeding from higher mountain ranges of western United States, Sierra Nevada, Rocky Mountains, and eastward, north of the Great Lakes, to Labrador; in winter, over whole of United States, and south into Mexico" (Ridgw.). Washington, irregularly common W. V. and T. V., Apl. 15 to May 15; Oct. 15 to Nov. 30. Sing Sing, rare T. V., May 9 to 26 ; Oct. 3 to 30. Cam- bridge, unconunon T. V., May 12 to 22; Oct. 1 to 20. 300 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. JVest, of grasses, on the ground or in bushes. I^ggs, four to five, pale green- ish blue, speckled and spotted with bay, especially at the larger end, -90 x -62 (Davie). This is one of the aristocrats of the family. Its size and its hand- some markings at once distinguish it from its congeners, and are sure to attract attention. Though its season of love and music is spent in the far north, it often favors us with selections of its melodies as it rests in thickets and hedgerows while slowly passing through our country on its northward pilgrimage. Its usual song is like the latter half of the White-throat's familiar refrain, repeated a number of times with a peculiar sad cadence and in a clear, soft whistle that is charac- teristic of the group. It resembles its relatives also in singing its sweetest songs in the woods, sometimes during the darkest hours of the night. Ernest E. Thompson. 558* Zonotrichia albicollis (6^/«^?.). White-throated Sparrow ; Peabody-bird. Ad.— a yellow line before the eye; bend of the wing yellow; center of the crown with a white stripe bounded on either side by much wider black stripes; a white stripe from the eye passes backward along the side of the head; back rufous or rufous-brown, streaked with black and slightly margined v/ith whitish ; rump grayish brown ; greater and middle wing-cov- erts tipped with white ; tail grayish brown ; under parts grayish, more so on the breast; throat with a square white patch; belly whitish; flanks and under tail-coverts tinged with grayish brown. Im. — Yellow before the eye, and on the bend of the wing duller; crown streaks brownish ashy and mixed chestnut and black, instead of white and black; tJiroat patch less sharply defined. L., 6-V4; W., 2-89; T., 2-86; B., -44, Range. — Eastern North America; breeds from northern Michigan, and occasionally Massachusetts, northward to Labrador; winters from Massachu- setts to Florida. Washington, very common W. V., Sept. 28 to May 20. Sing Sing, com- mon T. v., Apl. 10 to May 21 ; Sept. 20 to Oct. 30 ; a few winter. Cambridge, very common T. V., Apl. 25 to May 15 ; Oct. 1 to Nov. 10 ; a few winter. Nest, of coarse grasses, rootlets, moss, strips of bark, etc., lined with finer grasses, on the ground or in bushes. Eggs, four to five, bluish white, finely and evenly speckled or heavily and irregularly blotched with pale rufous- brown, -82 X -60. In September, when the hedgerows and woodland undergrowths begin to rustle with Sparrows, Juncos, and Towhees, I watch eagerly for the arrival of these welcome fall songsters. There is little in their modest appearance to tell one, as they feed on the ground near their haunts, of their vocal powers, and one might be pardoned for believing that a feeble tseej) was their only note. I whistle a bar or two of greeting in their own language. They are evi- dently puzzled, but make no reply, for it has apparently been agreed among themselves that singing shall not begin for at least a week after White-throated Sparrow. White-crowned Sparrow. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 301 their arrival. Then there are a few sweet, tremulous trials before the plaintive, sympathetic whistle brings cheer to the browning woods : Few birds are more sociable than the White-thrt5ats. At this season they are always in little companies, and they frequently roost together ^in large numbers in the depths of dense thickets or clumps of ever- greens. After they have retired one may hear the sharp chiiiJc of their " quarrier " chorus, and when darkness comes, with low, brooding notes of cozy companionship they are hushed for the night. 559. Spizella monticola {Gmel.). Tree Sparrow; Winter Chippy. Ad.—^o black on the forehead; an indistinct black spot on the center of the breast ; top of the head rufous-brown, sometimes edged with ashy; a grayish line over the eye and a rufous-brown line behind it; back streaked with rufous-brown, black, and pale ochraceous-buff; rump pale grayish brown ; greater and middle wing-coverts tipped with white ; outer web of the outer tail-feather wliitish ; breast grayish white; middle of the belly white ; sides tinged with pale grayish brown ; upper mandible black, lower, yellow at the base, the tip black. L., 6-36; W., 2-99 ; T., 2-82 ; B., •41.'' Range. — Eastern North America; breeds in Labrador and the region about Hudson Bay ; south in winter, through eastern United States ; west to the edge of the Great Plains. Washington, abundant W. V., Nov. 1 to Apl. 5. Sing Sing, common W. v., Oct. 10 to Apl. 27. Cambridge, common W. V., abundant T. V., Oct. 25 to Nov. 25; Mch. 20 to Apl. 20. Nest., of grasses, rootlets, and hair, on or near the ground. '•'■Eggs, four to five, pale green or greenish blue, spotted with reddish brown, -75 x -60 " (Chamberlain). Tree Sparrows wear a small black dot on the center of their other- wise unmarked breasts, a badge which will aid in their identification. They come in flocks when the fields are beginning to look brown and dreary, but seem contented with the surroundings from which other birds have fled. They feed on the seeds of weeds and grasses, and even when the snow is deepest always find an abundance of food. I like to see them feasting on the seed stalks above the crust, and to hear their chorus of merry, tinkling notes, like sparkling frost crystals turned to music. Winter Chippies they are sometimes called, but at this season there 302 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. is little of the Chippy's nature about them. In February or March they begin to sing a song which has been compared to that of a Ca- nary, but is " finer, sweeter, and not so loud." 560. Spizella SOcialis ( Wils.). Chipping Sparrow; Chippy. Ad. — Forehead black, a short grayish line in its middle; top of the head rufous; the nape generally with a few black streaks; a grayish line over the eye and a black line behind it ; back of the neck grayish, separating the rulbus crown from the back ; back streaked with black, a little rufous, and more pale buff'y ochraceous ; rump slati/ gray ; wing-bars not conspicuous ; under parts grayish white, whiter on the throat and belly ; bill -Chippine Spar- entirely llacTc. Im. — Similar, but no rufous crown- (Natural bize.) cap or black on the forehead: top of the head streaked like the back ; bill brownish. Young in first plumage have the breast streaked with black. ]j., 5-37 ; W., 2-74; T., 2-29 ; B., -36. Remarks. — In adults the rufous crown, black forehead, gray rump, and black bill are characteristic; in the young the gray rump is a good distin- guishing mark. Bange. — Eastern Korth America; breeds from the Gulf States to New- foundland and Great Slave Lake; winters in the Gulf States and Mexico. Washington, common S. R., abundant T. V., Mch. 15 to Nov. 1, occasion- ally winters. Sing Sing, common S. E., Apl. 9 to Nov. 7. Cambridge, abun- dant S. R., Apl. 15 to Oct. 25. Nest., of grasses, line twigs, or rootlets, thickly lined with long hairs, in trees or buslies, five to twenty feet up. Eggs., four to five, blue or greenish blue, with cinnamon-brown or blackish markings, chiefly at the larger end, •72 X -51. The Chippy is among Sparrows what the Phoebe is among Fly- catchers—the humblest, most unassuming member of its family. Both show trustfulness, which, in spite of their unattractive appearance and far from pleasing voices, wins our affection. Chippy makes his nest in the vines on our piazza, and feeds on the crumbs at our doorstep, quite as though he were a member of the family ; and he needs only a little encouragement to give evidence of his entire confidence in our good will by feeding from our hands. His song is a monotonous cMppy-chippy-cMppy-chippy, rather high and wiry and frequently running into an insectlike trill — by no means a musical performance. In the fall Chippy changes his dress, dons a streaked cap for the one of bright bay, and, with others of his kind, goes to the fields to feast on the year's harvest of seeds. He is generally found near trees and hedgerows, into which, when alarmed, he flies with his com- panions. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 303 &61* Spizella pOillida* (Swains.). Clay-colored Sparrow. Ad. — With a geutjrul resoinblunee to immature S. socialis, but less rufous above, whiter bulow, the line over the eye wiiite, and the rump pale grayish brown instead of slaty gray. W., 2-40 ; T ., 2-35 ; B., -34. Bange. — Interior of North America ; breeds from northern Nebraskj^, cen- tral Iowa, and northern Illinois northward; winters from southern Texas southward; accidental in North Carolina. JVesi., of grasses, lined with hairs, on the ground or in bushes. -Eggs, three to live, similar to those of